Hogwarts in Middle-earth
by mackey76
Summary: In the final battle of DH Voldemort curses the ward stone of Hogwarts and everything within those wards disappears. Meanwhile on the edge of Fangorn Forest, near the Limlight, a castle appears full of people. The year is TA 2992 and while Arda may only have been expecting five wizards there are now a lot more, and the world won't know what just hit it. Canonical pairings HP-centric
1. The Landing

Disclaimer: I should point out the obvious at the beginning here that I own nothing recognizable and gain nothing from writing this. I have no connection what so ever with Tolkien or Rowling beyond enjoying the characters and worlds that they wrote into existence.

Chapter 1

_8 May, 1998/TA 2992 Hogwarts_

There was a great shaking throughout the castle as Voldemort's curse finally struck using the very wards of Hogwarts, which still half held, as a framework to do its intended evil. For a moment, which seemed to stretch out much longer than a single second should, the castle was still and then everyone one in the castle or on the grounds felt a yank just behind his or her navel. The castle wards were used to hold all the people and material exactly in place however the people themselves that could see outside the wards were able to watch a show few have ever seen or will ever see again.

After a time these brilliant flashes of light were reduced to being what appeared to be stars that became more distant as time passed. With a thud the castle felt like it had been dropped from two feet up, needless to say almost everyone fell over.

Everyone was at least a little out of sorts from the travel. Those on the grounds were the ones to first notice that the landscape looked completely different. However it was the Malfoys that confirmed it; they had went to leave quickly and had walked outside and gone to apparate. That attempt failed and all three of them fell over. They found out later that it had failed because the place they were trying to apparate to was nonexistent in the world they found themselves in. It was Andromeda who took charge in these precious few minutes after the discovery.

She directed Septima Vector, Filius Flitwick and anyone else that either of them felt would be helpful to analyze the cursed ward stone and find out what happened. Everyone else she set to work at various jobs, cleaning up rubble around the school, moving the dead back from the great hall to various classrooms nearby, finding a living death eaters or suspected death eaters and putting them in the dungeons, etc. It was really her putting people to work that saved them as everyone was too busy doing something to easily mourn or to be very scared of what was to happen. Additionally, they discovered that while it was the witches and wizards that primarily travelled it was not only them. The Ghosts all seemed to be left behind while the House-elves and Peeves came with the castle along with the animals on the grounds. (The next day Luna confirmed that mermaids in the Black Lake were also there but the Centaurs seemed to have already gotten farther into the forest than the section that came with them.

Andromeda called Harry over and had him take little Teddy from her while she went to go find something about dinner, hence moving the dead out of the Great Hall. When he Harry had heard of what she was looking for he volunteered to show her to the kitchens where the house-elves had likely retreated to during the brief respite. He told her how Kreacher had led them in battle against the death eaters in the name of Regulus.

After showing her how to find enter Harry called for Kreacher while Andromeda made plans for the elves to clean and have brunch ready in the morning. Already she was planning out how they would ration the food in order to last as long as possible.

After Kreacher popped over, still wearing the fake horcrux around his neck, Harry looked down at him smiling. Teddy was still curled in his arms asleep, thanks to Andromeda's charm, and so Harry awkwardly squatted down to the elf's level so Kreacher could see the baby and Harry could be at the Elf's own eye level. "Kreacher, I want to introduce you to my Godson, Edward Remus Lupin, through his mother's line he is a Black, and as my Godson you will treat him as such. Understood?"

Kreacher looked down at the baby, whose hair changed colour even in his sleep, and then back up into Harry's eyes before he bowed so low the locket nearly hit the ground and as he did so he responded, "Yes, master. He is your family of course he is part of my family to serve."

Harry smiled again as Kreacher righted himself, "I'm glad you feel that way." He glanced over to see Andromeda looking at him rather strangely.

"Given Walburga's extreme views on blood purity I am quite surprised you can get the elf to stand working for you, let alone Teddy." She explained.

Harry grinned sheepishly as he stood back up and explained, "It was actually Hermione's idea that worked. I was still mad about Sirius' death."

"I see," She replied, assuming that there was more to the story but it would take too long at the moment to be told. "Well, I must be off to find Minerva. Do look after my grandson and while I try to find her." She turned to leave when Harry called her back.

"Wait a second, I can find her easily for you. Could you take him back for a mo, "Harry lifted his arms a little to indicate the baby. Once Teddy was safely in his grandmother's arms again, Harry reached into the mokeskin pouch and pulled out a grubby piece of parchment. He tapped his wand and muttered the password so Andromeda couldn't hear it. Once the map was there he explained a little about it, "Back when my father and his friend's were in school they made this map of Hogwarts, it shows the location of everyone inside the castle's wards. Well except a few places, but they're not usually used all that much." As he was giving the brief explanation his eyes were flying over the parchment scanning for his Head of House's name. He finally found it above a moving line of people in the Great Hall. "She's in the Great Hall right now, but it looks like she's directing the people moving the bodies."

Harry led her back out of the Kitchen's and they made their way back up the Great Hall. The closer they got to it the more people they saw out working on something. The three of them reached the door and saw that Harry had guessed rightly, Minerva McGonagall was indeed directing the final removal of the bodies from the hall.

Andromeda handed Teddy back to Harry and thanked him, "Please take Teddy, I do need to speak with Minerva about what is to be done. "

Harry hastily shoved the map into a pocket as his arms found themselves full of sleeping baby. Even though he doubted it was what Ms. Black had meant when she asked him to look after Teddy so she could talk to Professor McGonagall he followed her to join in the conversation.

"Minerva," Andromeda called out, "I have gotten the elves to prepare a small meal to be brought up here tomorrow rather later than is normal for breakfast. But what of housing, if these people cannot leave we must find beds at least and a place to house them."

"Yes, true. Well we can always conjure mattresses and blankets and settle people down in here," the Professor gestured in the Great Hall."

Harry spoke up, "Um Professor, Ms. Black, most of the students are gone, right? So can't we just use the house dormitories?"

Both of the older women turned to look at him in surprise. Andromeda, as she hadn't realized he had followed her and Minerva as it was a brilliant if simple idea that should fit everyone.

It was nearly an hour later everyone was once more gathered in the Great Hall. Due to Andromeda's talk with the elves earlier they had sent up tea and biscuits to all the tables. So everyone had something to occupy their hands with, and as every Englishwoman knows, tea was something completely necessary in any event of emotional turmoil.

Professor McGonagall stood and the noise level in the room dropped, "Thank you. Now, after conferring with friends and colleagues it has been decided that because there is no obvious way home it would be best if we all stayed within the castle. In an effort accommodate this all students and staff will be using their current quarters. The remaining people here will be accommodated in the dormitories of one of the four houses. The house from which you graduated might be a good place to start." She looked grim as she surveyed the people gathered there; unfortunately she estimated their number at only one hundred souls.

"Now for married persons or adults who extremely prefer not to be in the student dormitories there are a small number of unused guest rooms and staff quarters. If you feel that these would be better suited to you please see Mr. Filch. Otherwise follow one of the heads of house to their respective house's common room." It was the need to see Filch that sent all of the couple's instead toward an empty boys' dorm to use, as both the men and women could use their stairs, as opposed to the girls that really were female only.

(The castles defenders were divided as below.)

The next morning everyone rose a bit later than they would have earlier. A few of the members of Order of the Phoenix or the older members of the DA had volunteered throughout the night to keep watch on the dungeons holding the captured death eaters.

Harry thanked his lucky stars that no one had come to find him for that job. His plan for the day was to sit with the Weasleys and mourn Fred. It was thrown off a bit when Andromeda called him up to the Head Table.

"Harry, you were there when you-know-who cast the curse at the ward stone weren't you?" She asked. When he had confirmed that she continued, "Very good, you need to talk to Filius and Septima about what you saw and heard. The more they know about what occurred, the faster they will be able to identify what exactly he did and how to reverse it to get everyone home."

"Er, uh, sure. Who is, er, Septima?" Harry asked, inwardly cringing as he stumbled through his reply.

Andromeda smiled at his lack of wit in the morning, "Professor Vector; her given name is Septima."

"Oh, alright. Wouldn't a Pensieve memory be better, though? Then they could just see it all themselves."

"Yes that would be useful but where exactly are you to find one when we can't get home?"

"Snape. He there's one in his office, I used it yesterday."

"I see. Well then finish eating and put the memory in it. I will fetch them up there soon."

Harry recognized the dismissal and left to do just that. By the time he had finished eating briefly kissed Ginny and made it up past the broken gargoyle to the Headmaster's office he saw Andromeda, Flitwick, Vector and surprisingly Hermione gathered around the desk with the Pensieve waiting for him.

"Wonderful. Good Morning Mr. Potter. If you could put the memory in then." Flitwick began in his always chipper sounding voice.

"Yeah of course Professor." Harry raised his wand to his temple and concentrated on his memory of the fight with Voldemort, starting from the rebounding curse. He slowly drew his wand away and when he had finished playing through the memory in his mind he held it out over the Pensieve and flicked the single white memory strand off his wand so fell into the many others in the device. "That it. It's everything I remember from the rebounding curse to when we... landed, I guess."

The three gathered for the research nodded, Hermione even thanking him, before they each reached out and put a hand into the swirling mist like substance.

Once the bodies of the three had disappeared to study the memory Andromeda spoke to him again. "Now Harry could you call Kreacher and order him look after Teddy? I have here with me but it would be much easier to do with the elf looking after him."

They had just finished getting that squared away, with Teddy staying with Kreacher in the Great Hall for now since Harry didn't quite trust the elf to look after the baby, when the other three reappeared in the office.

It was Vector that broke the silence, anticipatory on one side and glum from the other, "The spell was silent so we can't get anything from there. His wand was on the ward stone so there was no flash of light to see either. All in all, the only thing we learned is that it likely wasn't a massive portkey and we knew that already anyway."

"Wait, your saying we're stuck?" Harry burst out.

Hermione fielded that one, "Not necessarily, just that we're starting completely blank we don't have a lot of information from which to base even a guess from. So it'll take us longer, years maybe, to find out what Riddle did to send us here. " She paused for a moment, "Where ever here is, I mean."

When neither of the professors contradicted her statement and thus implicitly confirmed it, it took Harry and Andromeda both a moment to digest the bad news, "Alright, thank you. All three of you. Let me know if there is anything else we can do to help you." Andromeda finally replied.

They were left alone in the office when the three researching the problem headed back to the library to find any reference they could to anything similar to the situation that they found themselves in currently. "Years. Okay, Harry, do you realise what this means? If we're here even for just one year we need to organize our own society here in this castle."

Given the way Harry's last year had gone it was unsurprising that his first thought was, 'At least we don't have to deal with the Ministry.' He didn't voice that out loud, instead what he said was, "That's true but how exactly do you mean organize? I don't think we have enough people to make building a ministry necessary and it's not like we'll have any new students coming in September."

"No, and with as bad as the ministry was with its Muggleborn Registration I wouldn't want any version of it either. But that isn't what I wanted to talk to you about. Harry, do you realize that almost half the people here are students and that all of them look to you as a leader? If we were to elect a leader you would be a very competitive candidate right now."

Harry was aghast, "What? No, I don't want to lead anything. I didn't even want to lead the DA, Hermione and the rest kind of forced me to lead it."

At his rather vehement reaction she smiled before explaining, "I didn't think you did Harry, no there are two reasons I brought it u and I like your help with them if you would." She stopped him before he immediately agreed, "Wait; listen to all of it before you agree. First, I'd like you help make sure my sister, Narcissa, can go free. She's all I have left of my family and especially now that Nymphadora is gone, I can't just throw away what's left. But the second reason, will hopefully make the first easier, I want your help to be that leader we elect, I found yesterday and this morning that I rather like having everyone listening to me and that doing something important distracts me. I can forget that when I go to sleep Ted won't be there and that when little Teddy cries his mother won't be there to calm him down."

Harry was rather shocked at her requests; he still couldn't understand why someone would want to be the one in control. Maybe it was just because he had always been singled out as different, at the Dursley's as a freak and in the Wizarding World as the Boy-Who-Lived, but he just wanted to a normal average person. Of course, he knew it could never happen now that he had defeated Voldemort. It didn't take him long to answer, "I'll gladly help with the first one, she saved my life in the forest. As for the second one, I trust you more than I would anyone from the Ministry of Magic. Plus it'd be nice to have the person in control of me one, right?" His smile as he finished made obvious that he had meant it more as a joke than in any seriousness.

Before they went their separate ways they talked for a short while on how they might accomplish the two tasks that she had laid out. It was then that Harry realized that Andromeda really was a Slytherin with the cunning and ambitions to match.

That night at dinner the news was broken to everyone, although a few had already heard various versions from someone else. McGonagall had gotten up and rather straight forwardly told everyone that they'd have to get comfortable with where they were as it would likely take months probably years to get home if they even could. After this she asked everyone who was of age to stay for a meeting after dinner was over.

A number of students that had fought in the battle and were muttering at being excluded and it was then that Dennis Creevey stood up on the bench and yelled toward his Head of House loud enough for everyone in the hall to hear, "So what we're old enough to get cursed and fight but not old enough to even listen to what decisions are being made? That's bull shit, ma'am!"

Harry saw Andromeda nodding in agreement to Dennis' words and she caught Harry's eye just down the table from the standing boy. Hoping he understood what she wanted, he spoke up as well, "I agree with Dennis. Everyone in here fought. We are all equally victims of His last curse and I say we equally responsible for what we do now. Think about what the DA did this last year, do you really want to try and order the students about without a say, like Snape and the Carrows tried?"

Professor McGonagall had gone from her thin lipped anger to a shocked expression when Harry had spoken up. Especially when he drew the connection between her current actions and the Death Eaters that had run the school the last nine months. Upon looking at her colleagues and seeing no obvious disagreements she acquiesced "Very well. In thirty minutes time we shall have a meeting concerning what we will do for the foreseeable future."

During the meal Harry caught a few questioning looks from people that were surprised he had spoken out against McGonagall in so public and argumentative a fashion. He ate quickly and really only spoke to the Weasley's and Hermione, who were sitting near him.

When the dishes disappeared and it was clear that they were to be starting the meeting now, Augusta Longbottom rose from her seat at the Gryffindor table and looking imperiously across at the adults in the room, "Now then, I had thought it obvious but those who are of age should elect a minister so that there is a head to make executive decisions and this person will appoint those under them to allow for a distributed work load."

The murmurs around the room that McGonagall had created before dinner were restarted when she mentioned the words 'of age'. It was then that Harry again stood and caught her eye before speaking, "Madame Longbottom, I cannot help but disagree with you on two points, first that any of us want a Minister. I at least have had problems with the Ministry of Magic since my twelfth birthday. I have also seen that a ministry run in such a way is full of corruption. Secondly, we cannot say to those students that are under age, 'You're old enough to die fighting, but to young say anything about we are going to be doing.' We just cannot do unless you want to be as controlling as Umbridge was two years ago." With that he smiled around, specifically at Andromeda and Augusta.

Andromeda then spoke before anyone could say anything, "I think we can break this into the two points for now keep just to how we will govern ourselves and when we get to any sort of election we can revisit the topic of who has a say."

After that a few more people stood up and things either in favour of or against the idea of a ministry. Finally, Andromeda again spoke, "We spent nearly half an hour discussing whether or not we like the idea of a Ministry. I propose we go back to before the Ministry. The Wizards' Council and the Wizengamot predate the Ministry and indeed go back as far as advising William the Conqueror after his victory in 1066. This indeed would allow for those who want to avoid the bloated bureaucracy and its inherent corruption of the modern ministry of magic as well as provide that stability and tradition for those who want a government similar to that of the one we will find whenever we eventually return to Great Britain, whenever that might be."

Another round of useless debating was entered into before nearly everyone agreed that a Wizengamot would be best. It was at this point that Horace Slughorn entered into the conversation. The walrus like man stayed seated at the head table but everyone heard him as he said, "I know many great witches and wizards that are here but how are we to decide which of them receive seats and how many seats there should be? Traditionally the Wizengamot had a rather fluid membership of around fifty members, but surely we don't need so many now?" With that he said everything meaningful that he was going to and began trying to regal everyone with the different students he'd had that were on the Wizengamot of high ministry officials.

It finally became too much for Flitwick and the small made stood up, "Yes, thank you, Horace. You made a good point earlier; we don't need fifty people to sit on the council. We can, however, not just run through simple maths to find a proportionate amount as the Wizengamot no longer performed the full duty and range of the functions we will be requiring of our own. I think that we would not want less than 6 people but also we would not want as many as twenty as that would be to many. We should put nominate and elect a pool of around 8-10 witches and wizards tonight and allow them fill in the remaining members as they see fit."

Surprisingly, no one disagreed with the small man, unfortunately that didn't mean that someone didn't stand and say anything, it was Blaise Zabini that rose from the back of the Slytherin table, "I agree with Professor Flitwick. In an effort to not diverge completely from tradition, we should recognize those here who are the members of old lines that traditionally have a seat on such a body. Likewise, in times of old, a recent victor over national threats, such as our own Mr. Potter, would commonly receive nominations to such a body." Blaise had put his ideas in that order so that people would be thinking of Potter's nomination and not the fact that agreeing with it put the Pureblood's in almost automatically.

And he was right, the next three people to be recognized to say anything all started off by saying something along the lines of 'Obviously, Harry Potter should be on the Wizengamot, he is amazing'. All of the people that is, until Andromeda.

She stood and looked across the rather empty tables before she began, "I think the young Slytherin gentleman has a fine idea; however it will not do in practice. Down in the dungeons right now are a number of people that hold hereditary seats on the Wizengamot and thus agreeing to recognize traditional seating allows the accused death eaters to have a seat upon the Wizengamot." After pausing momentarily to allow that sink in she continued, "To rectify that obvious problem let us agree to recognize hereditary seats only of those we find to be not guilty of the despicable crime of being a Death Eater." That notion shot Zabini's plan in the foot while actually not hurting Andromeda's desires at all.

The plan went round and round and was eventually agreed upon, but not until after it was pointed out that the only claimants of hereditary seats in the Great Hall were Andromeda Black(although Harry could be an alternate claimant), Sullivan Fawley, Neville Longbottom, and Ernie Macmillan.

The knowledge of and experience of the Heads of House were trumped about as reasoning as why they each should have a seat by Hermione. When she finally stopped trying to convince everyone that the teachers should have seats she found there wasn't anyone disagreeing with her; at least no one willing to stand up and disagree with her.

McGonagall stood at that point to ask if there was anyone not among the eight already agreed upon that deserved a seat. Neville rose, and looking very much the man that stood in defiance of Voldemort, he said stated plainly, "I was under the impression that we all agreed that Harry deserved a seat. Wasn't that brought up earlier as the first person we agreed upon?" His statement made Ron yell out in agreement and that in turn spurned most of the DA and a number of other people to do so as well. All of them pushing for Harry to have a seat caused Neville to smile as he bent back onto a bench.

McGonagall called for silence and had to perform a spell to release a burst of noise before she had gotten the calm she wanted, again. "I suppose you are correct, Mr. Longbottom. Very well, as for the Chief Warlock position, I will go down the list of nominated persons and ask that each of you raise a lit wand for the individual you would like to see as Chief Warlock. Now, -"

"Um, Professor McGonagall, before you do that I have something to say." He watched her lips thin at the interruption, and his lack of protocol but he ploughed on regardless, "I just wanted to say to anyone planning on voting for me that I don't want the position and would ask anyone that was planning to vote for me to instead vote for Andromeda Black. She would make a much better Chief Witch than I would."

At that George came out with, "Yeah, for one thing, she's actually a witch!" The laughter that followed provided a good outlet for the many people that been stuck in the hall for so long already.

When it had quieted down once more, McGonagall spoke up again, "Thank you Mr. Potter, Mr. Weasley. In the interest of fairness, is there anyone else on here that would like to say something before we begin?" None of the others people said anything and thus she began again, "Then as I was saying, I will read down this and ask each of you to raise your lit wand after I call the name of the person whom you wish to be recognized as Chief Warlock or Chief Witch. The Heads of House will count the votes at their own tables; Mr. Filch will count the Head Table."

She read through the names in reverse order of the way she had written them down. Thus she started with Pomona Sprout (4 votes), and finished with Andromeda Black (43 votes). The end result being that there was a tie between Andromeda and Longbottom. In order to solve this problem they would vote again with this winner being declared the Chief Witch or Warlock as the case might be. The old Scot called out her colleague's name once more and watched the just short of the entire Ravenclaw table and a scattering of others raise their wands. When she called out for Andromeda however she saw a mass of wands from Slytherin and clusters in amongst the other tables lit skyward. Without even counting she knew that Andromeda had won. "Very well then," she said, "Our new Chief Witch, Andromeda Black." She gestured to her right at the newly christened Chief Witch.

Andromeda rose from the seat she had somehow snagged at the Head Table and thanked the mass of people, "I promise I will do my best to see us all home safely and hopefully quickly. Failing that however, be assured that I will make sure that we are protected and that we can maintain an independent society free from whomever else may inhabit this place. I will keep this short so we can all head off however, I'm sure I'm not the only one that feels that we've been here for quite a while."

And thus began the reign of Chief Witch Andromeda Black.

* * *

Gryffindor

7 Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, Neville Longbottom, Dean Thomas, and Seamus Finnegan; Hermione Granger, Pavarti Patil, Rionach O'Neal and Fay Dunbar 6 Percy Weasley and Oliver Wood; Ginerva Weasley 5 Arthur and Molly Weasley; Romilda Vane 4 Dennis Creevey, Jimmy Peakes, Nigel Wolpert, and Ritchie Coote; Angelina Johnson, Alicia Spinnet, and Katie Bell 3 Aberforth Dumbledore; Augusta Longbottom 2 Lee Jordan, Charlie and George Weasley; Rose Zeller 1 Cormac McLaggen; None

Hufflepuff

7 Ernie Macmillan, Wayne Hopkins, Zacharias Smith; Megan Jones, Hannah Abbot and Susan Bones 6 Mr. McHavelock; Madame Puddifoot 5 Vladimir Plot; Leanne Tietsoort 4 Kevin Whitby, Owen Cauldwell; Orla Quirke, Eleanor Branstone, Laura Madley 3 Euan Abercrombie, James Tuckett II, Luca Caruso; Alice Tolipan 2 Bill and Fleur Weasley; Alys Dinsmore 1 None; Madame Scrivenshaft

Slytherin

7 Blaise Zabini; Millicent Bulstrode, Tracy Davis and Daphne Greengrass 6 Derek Harper; Madame Rosemerta 5 None; Mafalda Prewett and Astoria Greengrass 4 Graham Pritchard and Malcolm Baddock; None 3 Dominic Maestro; None 2 Archibald Bennet; None 1 Viktor Krum; Ivana Stanevski and Kalina Stanevski

Ravenclaw

7 Anthony Goldstein, Michael Corner, Stephen Cornfoot, and Terry Boot; Mandy Brocklehurst, Padma Patil, Sue Li, and Morag MacDougal 6 Rolf Scamander; Luna Lovegood 5 Geraint Ollivander; None 4 Justin Pippin; Madame Potage 3 None; None 2 Ambrosius and Seraphina Flume; None 1 Kingsley Shacklebolt; None

Staff Quarters 

Andromeda Black and Teddy Lupin; Argus Filch; Irma Pince; Bathsheda Babbling; Filius Flitwick; Septima Vector; Grawp and Rubeus Hagrid; Horace Slughorn; Nurse Wainscott; Minerva McGonagall; Pomona Sprout; Poppy Pomfrey; Aurora Sinistra

Dungeons

Narcissa Malfoy, Pansy Parkinson, and Alecto Carrow; Gregory Goyle, Theodore Nott, Lucius, and Draco Malfoy; Amycus Carrow, Fenrir Greyback, Walden Macnair, and Augustus Rookwood; Jugson, Travers, Selwyn, and Yaxley; Nott Sr., Crabbe Sr., Rudolphus, and Rabastan Lestrange; Goyle Sr., Mulciber, Thorfinn Rowle and Albert Runcorn; Marcus Flint, Graham Montague, Miles Bletchley, Cassius Warrington


	2. Exploring the Land

Chapter 2

_9 May, TA 2992 Wizengamot Chambers_

The next day held many things to be accomplished for the nine people on the newly formed Wizengamot. The first thing on their early agenda was to determine their surrounding environment. The people of Hogwarts needed to find out what any peoples in the area were like as well as finding out about the surrounding area outside of the immediately visible.

"Very well, we are agreed it is necessary to learn of our present surrounding. However, we need to maintain a large enough presence in the castle to repel any native force that we may have offended by being sent here." Clarified the new Chief Witch. She along with the other eight of the newly formed Wizengamot was gathered in the small chamber off of the Great Hall to the left of the staff table.

"That's a really good point." Harry acknowledged even as he was thinking fast, "Professor McGonagall, can you get activate the statues and suits of armour like you did for the battle but instead have them patrol the grounds?"

Her lips thinned which caused Harry to almost begin to defend himself before he realized it was because she was thinking about it and not in irritation at him. "I wouldn't want to try it long term but I think it could probably be maintained for a short while," she began slowly before continuing as she turned to shortest member of the group, "What do you think Filius, two maybe three days at the most?"

The small man cleared his throat before answering, "Yes, that sounds reasonable to me. We'd want to assume, of course, that it would be on the low end of the spectrum so that we won't have to reanimate them individually all over the grounds."

Harry looked around at everyone's faces and could see the same resignation that he felt. Each felt the losses from the battle yesterday morning and the night before. And then this was thrown at them so they couldn't even rest and recover. Instead they were dropped, unwillingly, into a completely unknown situation while a number of the castles inhabitants were injured.

Neville put his two cents in now that it was assured that the school would be safe while they sent out their explorers, "Whoever goes must be knowledgeable about what plants and beasts are out there. From the view I had yesterday, it appears that we are thankfully in a rather remote area but generally if there is no people in the area there is a reason."

"That means we need at least four people in each group." Said Slughorn, "There are the two Longbottom brought up, a third that is a proficient dueller, and the fourth to be the central authority and lead."

Before anyone else could comment Harry broke in, "Brooms." At the looks of confusion he explained, "At least one of them should be on a broom, preferably all of we can manage it. The school brooms should be sufficient to get a few groups of people in the air, and if not I'm sure there are enough for at least one for each group sent out."

Andromeda agreed, "He's right. From the air they'd be able to see further than anyone on the ground, both to actually find out what is in the vicinity and to see if a nearby needs help."

"So to the root of the matter, who do we send we ask to go?" Asked McGonagall in her typically brisk manner.

"Harry, my boy," Slughorn started before being interrupted by said boy. "Ah Professor, I don't think that'd be the best idea. We," Harry gestured around the gathering, "will have other things to do quite soon so most of us should probably stay here. What about Kingsley or Mr. Weasley?"

Professor Sprout smoothed it over before his interruption could cause a problem, "Those are fine suggestions, Mr. Potter but I really think that you would be another good leader. As would Mr. Longbottom and myself, I think." She looked at each of the young men in turn as if daring them to contradict her.

In the end she had her way and they had decided on sending out six groups led by the five they had discussed as well as Bill, assuming everyone agreed. Once that was determined they took a break to get some breakfast and talk to the other three so that they could in turn find four people to head out with them.

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Out in the great Hall Harry went to find Molly since she had little Teddy this morning. He hoped that when he found her, she'd at least know the whereabouts of the two Weasleys for which Harry was searching; even that was assuming they weren't right there with her.

Harry found both the elder Weasleys at the Gryffindor table, which now that he thought about he should have know they'd be there. Looking at Molly he thought she felt rather out of place not having to cook anything, but at least she had the baby to distract her. He walked toward them, calling out a greeting as he went, "G'Morning, Mr. Weasley, Mrs. Weasley."

He stopped next to Mrs. Weasley and looked down at the wide-eyed bundle and began in a somewhat obnoxious voice, "And good morning to you Teddy." After making a few faces and sounds at the baby he spoke to the Arthur again, thankfully in his normal voice, "I'm sure that you all want to be together as family right now, after... Well after Fred, but we were hoping we could get you and Bill to help with exploring wherever this is we're at now."

Poor Molly started sobbing at the reminder of her late son. Arthur tried to stop her, "None of that now Molly, you'll start Teddy up, too." He spoke quietly into her ear. He held her shoulders glancing over only at Harry's helpless expression he said, "Go fetch Bill, I'll be along shortly."

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Harry smiled as Arthur caught up with he and Bill just as they were coming to the staff table and joining the others already sitting around it, including the already seated Kingsley. Harry zoned out as the situation was explained to the read heads and thought back to when he had lost Sirius two years ago; he had been furious at everyone. It was a blessing that none of the Weasley's seemed to have done that yet. 'On the other hand,' he thought, 'Ron has always had a temper and George has just lost his other half.' It seemed fairly obvious to him that once George came out of the stupor he had fallen in he'd be furious at everyone. Harry came out of private thoughts as heard Bill's next line.

"I don't think that sending out five groups makes that much sense. Just stick to the cardinal directions, yeah?" his comment started quietly before he built up to what he really meant," And I agree with my Dad; I'm distracted enough right now I can easily see myself making a mistake. That's not the kind of guy you want to have in charge."

At that Harry decided to stay away from trying to push them into anything, plus he still needed food. He slowly loaded his plate so as not to interrupt Ernie basically reiterating Bill brief plan to try and pass it off as his own. Harry supposed he'd learn to put up with the pompous attitude; Ernie had after all stayed and fought the Death Eaters unlike a certain Smith. The only new information Harry could make out was assigned directions going clockwise around their seats relative to Ernie. Thus it was that starting at the North it went Sprout, Neville, Kingsley, and Harry.

McGonagall "Very well then you four had best get started on finding people to go with you."

Although he didn't verbally say anything he did very much agree. Time was of the essence since they had no idea what was out there and thus had no idea of any sort of posed a danger to them.

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Harry left the Great Hall and with the help of the Marauder's Map, went straight to the first person he'd thought of when the discussion had arisen. "Hey, Hagrid can you help me with something?" he asked.

"Anytime Harry, watter yeh need?" Hagrid asked as he put down the massive piece of rubble he was carrying out of the courtyard.

Harry smiled up at his first friend and explained, "We're setting up a few groups of people to go check around us and see what this place is like. I figured you and Grawp would be able to help fight off anything we might run into in the forest. Well, that and you know more about animals than anyone I know."

Hagrid chest was puffed out quite a bit with pride as Harry finished. "'I can do that. It'll just take me a mo' to go get Grawp and my crossbow. O' and Fang, too, yeah?" he wondered aloud.

"Thanks, Hagrid. Fang's a great idea." He answered, "I've got get a couple more people to find to come with us, they want a team of five. Meet you at your cabin in say, a half an hour?" When Hagrid answered in the affirmative and headed out to find his brother, Harry pulled the map out again to start looking at names.

Unlike the first time he wasn't searching for a specific person; instead he was going through them looking for any one he knew to be good at Herbology. After staring at it for what seemed like quite a while but was instead only minutes, he gave up and sent to find someone to fly but just as he started that he looked to the west of the school on the map and saw the Forbidden Forest. The need for flyers seemed to evaporate in his mind when he realized that anyone in the air wouldn't be able to see through the foliage to him. "Well in that case let's just see who I can find," he muttered to himself. Glancing down he saw Katie Bell, Alicia Spinnet, and Oliver Wood not far from away from him and that made up his mind for him.

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Harry slid around the corner and only just stopped himself from running into Oliver. "Sorry, Oliver. I didn't realize you were so close to the stairs." As he was trying to his pick his pride up of the floor amidst the girls and Oliver's ridiculous smirk Harry cleared his throat to try and explain what he wanted, "Actually I was looking for these two." He turned looked Katie and Alicia as once more asked for help to explore the immediate area.

"So how can you guys get to go have fun and I'm not invited." Oliver teased.

Though he said it with a Harry thought there was more than a hint of honesty in it. "Actually, Oliver, I think you should head down to Great Hall and talk to Neville or Professor Sprout. My group is headed into the forest and your skills on the broom would be useless, but those two have a bit more of a need for somebody in the air to watch out for them, kind of the perfect job for you."

Oliver laughed, "That sounds pretty true, Potter. Catch you later." He stepped around Harry and headed down the same stairs that Harry had run up minutes before.

Harry smiled at the girls before jesting, "So, ready to join Hagrid and I trying to see how many Giant Spiders we can piss off?" At that the anxious expressions that were spawned by that he tried to calm them down, "Relax, I'm sure we'll be fine. You took on the Death Eaters with no problem."

The three of them headed out to meet go meet Hagrid at his place, as they headed out Harry spotted the eldest three Weasleys with Kingsley and Dean loading into boats to cross the Black Lake. "Looks like Andy and Kreacher are taking Teddy for the day." He commented.

Harry and his two former team-mates made it the hut on the edge of the forest. "Ready to go, Hagrid, Grawp?" He called.

Alicia meanwhile was already gripping wand rather tightly, preparing herself to go into the place she'd had seven years to avoid entering. Even nearing midday the forest was a dark and rather forbidding place. The sunlight lit the first twenty feet or so around them but after that it was a rather muted light being filtered through so many tall trees that had grown together to act like a roof to the forest floor.

The path the five of them were following was headed in a north westerly direction from the castle and was one Harry remembered from his first year. It wasn't far from here that he had first run into Voldemort, well first time that he remembered. They hadn't even been walking for ten minutes when Hagrid spotted the end of the trail. It didn't stop like a path that been overgrown nor did seem like a game trail, instead the small length of packed dirt stopped abruptly in to the undergrowth.

Hagrid was kneeling inspecting the, new to them, growth obstructing them when they all heard a crashing sound and a booming barking coming toward them from the south. While the sound caused fang to hide behind Hagrid, it made Grawp roared and stomped that direction, since he had been in the group's north side. The giant was nearly destroying the trees in his hurry to pass them. A massive dog's head appeared in the gap that Grawp had caused, it was quickly followed by another head and then a third.

Just as Harry realized just what it was that had run toward them Grawp had whipped his massive fist around colliding with the side of the Cerberus' left most head. As Fluffy rolled over to get away from the giant Grawp was yelling in his massive voice, "No! No hurt Hagger!"

At this Hagrid went to defuse the ridiculous situation and Harry started cracking up. As his apparent received the strangest looks from Katie and Alicia, Harry explained, "That's Hagrid's dog. I met it my first year, its name is Fluffy." He attempted to reassure them that they'd be fine, though by their faces he had failed badly, before leading though the path of destruction to the now whining, though still fearsome animal and the rest of the group.

Hagrid took a bit to calm down both his brother and his pet, however once achieved they stayed on opposite sides of Hagrid as the group headed out into the new section of trees that though they didn't yet know it was one of the oldest in middle earth called Fangorn Forest.

The five were following a path that Harry had come up with really at whim. Since the original path they followed had lead them in a more northern direction than intended he thought they could just make a loop out of their travels. That way they could cover more ground then simply walking a straight line from the school grounds and then retracing all of their steps to come back.

They had turned south not quite hours into the hike. Not long after that they ran into a river flowing back toward Hogwarts. Deciding to follow this river result in a few splashes when Fang decided to play in it, of course his shaking himself off resulted in massive dirtying drops going everywhere including straight into Harry's face.

As they walked Harry noticed an off white line stretched across the trees in front of them. "Hagrid," he called, "Is that what I think it is?"

Hagrid grunted, "Eh, yeh that's Acromantula Silk. A few of 'em must o' been in this part o' the forest still when we got here."

Harry's first response to this was immediate 'Well shite,' in his mind. Audibly however, he called to the others, "Watch out for massive spiders. It looks like some of them have been in the area." His warning however was ill timed. It had caused the girls to turn to him when he spoke and thus they missed said beast coming up from behind them to pick up Alicia.

It was her scream that alerted the others inspiring a few rather expected actions. Fang of course hid like a coward and Hagrid started yelling at the Acromantula trying to reason with it like he had with Aragog and Masog. It was Harry and Grawp that did the most good, though.

Harry started flinging _stupefy _repeatedly,knowing it wouldn't hurt Alicia if he missed and her instead of the spider. He was already racing around to try and get a better angle on it so that Alicia wasn't between them so much. 'This isn't working I need something stronger.' On that note and in desperation since he didn't want to lose Alicia he tried_ Sectumsempra_.

Unfortunately, for him the Acromantula had started to back pedal and was already making its way away from them. "We need to stop it!"

It was then that Grawp's swings finally connected he missed the body of the beast, which is a good thing or Alicia would have been squished as well, but managed to catch two of the legs bending them in a completely unnatural direction.

That gave Harry and idea. He put as much power behind the simple spell, and yelled out "_Tarantallegra_!" The spell hit the spider's hairy side and caused its legs to start jerking around in what would have been rather an amusing fashion if it hadn't been a killer beast that was still holding his friend in its massive pincers.

The Acromantula must have been in a goodly amount of pain since Harry's spell was forcing it to dance on its broken legs. Its actions supported this hypothesis, as it pincer's twitched and it made the most hideous of noises before dropping Alicia in its agony. Despite its twitching and having three quarters of legs usable it still managed to scuttle over a leaning tree to get to the other side and away from the wizards.

Katie finally unfroze and raced toward her friend. "Alicia are you okay? I'm so sorry I just froze, I couldn't do anything" She babbled despite Alicia reassurances. After a brief glance Harry left the two of them to make sure there weren't any more after all he'd always seen those things together, even the Triwizard Tournament had had a few in the maze.

He did in fact find another; or rather he discovered that Fluffy had found the other. When Harry had looked over he saw Fluffy laying down enjoying himself and wondered why the dag hadn't even tried to help them with the spider. It was as he was wondering this that he saw what it was doing that he understood.

Fluffy was laying along the bank of the river they had been following with one head lapping at the water's surface and the other two were happily munching away at what could have only been an Acromantula between them. The dog looked up at Harry when it saw him approaching and barked happily and picked up the bulk of the spider as if it were trying to say, "See look what I did,"

Unfortunately, not all the results of their run in were that good. The reason Alicia had thought she was fine was because of the spider's venom. Evidently, it was an anaesthetic to stop the prey from moving and so Alicia couldn't even feel the cuts to her side. She ended up not even being able to stand since her core was so affected.

They did end up making it back to the castle before the evening meal, although Hagrid had to carry Alicia the rest of the way, and Grawp, Fang, and Fluffy stayed backed in the forest itself or at Hagrid's in the case of Fang. Nurse Wainscott, Madame Pomfrey's assistant, was not in the least pleased to hear about what they had been doing when the four of them trooped into the hospital wing. After all she and Poppy still had people in their healing from the battle fought just days ago and only the two of them to heal them all. It was a blessing that at least Slughorn and a few of his students could make the potions they needed and that the one Alicia needed was in fact one they had already. Apparently, Slughorn had collected Acromantula venom from someplace and that is after all the hardest to find ingredient for the anti-venom.

Now that he knew Alicia would be fine Harry had to go find the Wizengamot and share what they'd found out about at least the north of the forest as well as finding out what they had been up to while he had been gone.


	3. Trials of the Death Eaters

Chapter 3

_Afternoon, 9 May, TA 2992 Wizengamot Chambers_

After leaving Angelina in the hospital wing with Alicia, Harry met with Andromeda as he made his way toward the Great Hall. "Hey Andi, everyone come back yet?"

"Not quite. We're still waiting for Shacklebolt to report," She replied.

"Man, we ran into a Cerberus and an Acromantula," Harry bragged, "I hate to see what is taking Kingsley so long."

Together the two made back into the largest room of the castle and sat down at the table to wait for the last member of their group to come back from across the lake. As they waited various members of the Wizengamot joined them and what was originally the staff table. It wasn't until the last of the work details had come in from repairing damage to the castle and the elves had served dinner that five more weary witches and wizards trooped in from the Entrance Hall. The last of them split from the others going to the Gryffindor table and instead took an open seat between Flitwick and Neville.

"Evening all. Everyone else get back fine then?" Kingsley deep voice provided a soothing effect on everyone that had been worried about his group being late.

It was the plump head of Hufflepuff that responded, "Oh yes, we all have been back for some time. Did something happen to you?"

The younger man nodded his head, "To the southwest is a small settlement of homes. It appears to be a muggle home, but these muggles do not seem to live like the one that I met while protecting the prime minister. They seem to be more... primitive."

Shock seemed to be the most common reaction to his statement at that. "Kingsley," it was the prim McGonagall that needlessly reprimanded him, "I never thought that you of all people would hold to those ridiculous beliefs."

Kingsley gave her a tight smile in return, "I do not. It is not that they are less than any of us. What I meant is that they appear to match to what written in history books not to what we are used to seeing in the muggle world. They are different; and I do not know why." It was evident that the implication that he held to the pureblood beliefs was not something that he particularly enjoyed but it was understandable.

Andromeda tried to pull everyone back to the topic at hand, "Anyway besides the muggles what else can you tell us about the south. Should we worry about anything from that front?"

"While out we attempted to speak with one, I'd had Dean bring the broom down first. He seemed surprised to see us for some reason and called us Southrons, though I cannot understand why as we approached from the north." His confusion here was rather clear before he continued his verbal report, "The muggle in question rode away before any of us could catch him, but we at least learned that a dialectic of English seems to be one of the languages spoken here or related to it at the least."

Harry zoned out some during the continuation of the reports, though he made note of the important aspects. Apparently, their wills as far as could be seen to the south and some to the east. Neville confirmed that the lake did indeed seem to be part of a larger river now that ran into it from the forest and continued as far as he could tell slightly north of east until it met the horizon. It seemed that like always he had to be different than the others. His group was the only one that ran into any form of hostility. Although Harry did enjoy the shocked reactions from most of the group when he mentioned Fluffy. The best was Neville's shocked "They still have that thing!" His confirmation of a continued presence of Acromantula in the forest was not heartening however and removed all of the levity that the previous statement had garnered.

After going through all of the reports and Percy writing down the relevant details Kingsley was thanked and dismissed. It was at this point when Kingsley left and yet Percy was still there with his quill poised that Harry finally asked what he'd been curious about since the redhead had sat down.

He leaned over to his right and asked quietly, "Hey Andi, so what's Percy doing here?"

Her eyes flickered from Harry to the young man that he had gestured at. "Ah, yes the three of you that were gone don't know, yet." And with that brief statement she began to explain what had been decided while the others had been out exploring.

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_Early morning, 9 May, TA 2992 Great Hall Staff Table_

Harry, Sprout, and Neville had just left to get together their respective groups and yet the rest of the Wizengamot was still at the table. "Now, while the others are out we should discuss the two or three dozen people currently residing in the dungeons." began Andromeda.

"Yes, indeed. I would prefer if they could be moved to another location, that is after all where I live and not far from my students dormitories." complained the head of Slytherin.

"Quite, however as we have no Azkaban to send them to nor a ministry to hand them over to," snipped McGonagall "Just where is it you would like to put them?"

"Calm down, I did not mean to move them," Andromeda started to explain and glared at Slughorn when he made to interrupt her, "No, I think it would be best if we try them. However, some are already sentenced to Kiss on Capture. What can we do with them when we have no dementor?"

No one wanted to answer that though they all knew that the most equitable thing to a Dementor's Kiss available to them at Hogwarts would be a death sentence. McGonagall broke the silence with a sigh and then said, "I have always thought that the Ministry's use of dementors was a despicable practice but know that I am in a position to make that decision I can see how it would be preferable to capital punishment."

"So are we in agreement then?" Asked the Chief Witch, "Those that are or will be convicted will be killed?"

It was a reluctant group that nodded or otherwise signalled their agreement, some not even meeting her eyes. Knowing that it would be hard but that this was necessary she continued "And what of the others, those who have never been convicted or have only committed petty crimes? I'd rather have a few more wands out helping to repair the castle and help then just sitting uselessly beneath us. "

It was Sullivan Fawley that answered; the Hufflepuff had been silent so far but apparently was listening throughout. "Then as you said they should be tried. We should find somebody to act as their defence and work on their behalf. Even they after all, deserve a defender at trial."

Ernie coughed in an ever so unsubtle bid for attention before objecting, "Really who would want to assist someone so evil. I know I wouldn't want to go near them longer than necessary to pronounce them guilty." His tone left if clear to everyone that he felt himself above such people, that they weren't fit to even occupy the same room.

Andromeda sighed at his superior tone and useless divisiveness, "No, Macmillan, they are people, and as such they do deserve representation. Now, professors I think the library has a small section on law, yes?" She received a few affirmative nods and the name Pince in reply. This signalled her to continued, "Good then I think that it would be good to bring in the librarian and couple of others to assist. Purebloods would probably work best; they'd have to take less abuse from the prisoners."

Slughorn spoke then, "Yes, I'd have to agree with that. Perhaps Mr. Zabini? And possibly Miss Greengrass? The elder one, of course."

Slughorn's muttering might have been just thinking aloud but Flitwick responded regardless, "Those are wonderful choices, Horace. Perhaps you'd mention it to them when we are finished here?" Here the smaller man paused momentarily before changing gears to look at McGonagall, "Minerva, you've been in the ministry more often then I. Wasn't young Percival Weasley working as the court scribe for a time?"

"Indeed," She stood up then as she answered, "I'll go and ask for his assistance, then. Horace be sure that once you've secured you're student's help that you remove yourself. We do after all want to remain impartial." Despite that fact that she'd had started speaking to Slughorn she end her statement glaring daggers at Macmillan.

Andromeda then broke up the meeting when she also rose. She bid farewell, "Then I shall go assists Madame Pomfrey, Minerva, and Horace you'll find your respective students, and Filius could you speak to Pince."

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_Afternoon 9 May, TA 2992 Wizengamot Chambers_

"Now some of these should be fairly quick trials," Andromeda continued with her explanation, "Those are the ones that I'd like to start with, those with excessive amounts of proof so now amount of defence is relevant. I'd like to not trample over anyone's right to a fair trial after all."

"Yes, on that." Broke in Slughorn, "According to Mr. Zabini and Miss Greengrass, there are a few that would certainly qualify as they are consistently bragging of their vile deeds. The Lestranges, the Carrows, Greyback, it's the more extreme ones."

"I see." Andromeda paused this was not something she took lightly. She was about to sit in judgement of her sister's husband and brother-in-law. The same men that had threatened her life as well as her daughter's and grandson's lives. No matter how one looked at it, this just could not be easy. Closing her eyes and breathing deeply she resigned herself to it as she said, "Is there any objection to there being brought up this evening and tried, tonight? I'd like to not be doing these for weeks on end." It was a rather stupid question the Lestranges were murders and torturers after all and of course Longbottom was sitting right there. Who would be dumb enough to object in the face of that?

Despite the rather sombre mood, Andromeda stood and cast a _Sonorus_ on herself, "Witches and Wizards, we of the Wizengamot wish to inform you that we have begun to wade through the captured Death Eaters. As such, Rabastan and Rudolphus will be appearing here before us in," she glanced at her wrist to see the time before deciding, "just over one hour's time, at 1630."

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_Evening 9 May, TA 2992 Great Hall_

McGonagall had transfigured a chair quite similar to the one the Ministry kept in Courtroom 10 for trials. The chains on were even charmed the same at Harry's behest. It was to this chair that that Rabastan and Rudolphus were brought. Both were wrapped in conjured ropes and floating with a wand pointed at their back as they were led in to the Great Hall.

The two of them were set down on either side of the chair which in turn activated and had its chains snake their way up to clasp the manacle at the end around the wrist and ankle nearest to each side of the chair. Kingsley Shacklebolt walked up in front of them and raised his wand in to each in turn to revive them with a quickly muttered _Rennervate_.

Andromeda addressed the pair of them in a firm voice despite her inner turmoil, "Rabastan Evan Lestrange and Rudolphus Louis Lestrange you are here before us this evening to stand trial for your crimes whilst in service to You-Know-Who. You are charged with jointly with 14 counts of attempted murder, one count of murder in the first degree, and one count each of escaping from prison. Do you deny it?"

Rabastan sneered at the panel, "You have no authority, this isn't the Wizengamot we're still at Hogwarts."

His brother laughed and said, "What are you going to take points from Slytherin, give us detention?"

Andromeda let of a blast from her wand to silence both the men in front of her as well as the general noise coming from the general populace around the hall. Deciding to take her anger out on them and not bottle it anymore she yelled at them, "You will answer the question or you will be silenced! Now how do you plead?" The sheer amount of emotion in her sentence would cow most people, but as shown by their various crimes and indifference to torture the Lestrange brothers were not most people.

"Screw you, you blood-traitor whor–!" Yelled one while the other spat a wad of phlegm at her. As soon as it was clear that neither was responding to the question Kingsley went forward and silenced them both one after the other.

It took a few hours before there trial was done but evidence had presented that Rudolphus had cast the Killing Curse at Julie Parkes in Godric's Hollow last November. Additionally, a number of witnesses placed them at the Battle of Seven Potters, and again casting the sickly green curse. It was the last charge that they shared with a number of others that condemned them. It was clearly obvious that they were escaped from Azkaban which according to the Ministry of Magic carries a sentence of the Kiss upon capture.

When the vote was called all nine members of the Wizengamot raised a lit wand for conviction. Andromeda sighed and then announced, "Very well. Rabastan and Rudolphus Lestrange you have brought before us and convicted of 14 counts of attempted murder, one count of murder by use of _Avada Kedavra_, and two counts of escape from prison. The sentence for this would be the Dementor's Kiss, however as we do not have a dementor presently available it has been decided by this body that you will be executed by use of the very same curse you used. The date of your execution will be decided at a later date." She turned back to Kingsley and ordered him, "Take them back to the dungeons."

The brothers were still chained and silenced, but by their widened eyes everyone watching could tell that they were not expecting what they heard at all. Kingsley and Susan Bones again flicked their wands at the two recently reconvicted men and levitated them back down to the dungeons.

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_16 May, TA 2992 Great Hall_

The next morning as agreed the next trial began. Unfortunately, the other trials were not quite as quick as the Lestranges. Greyback was rather close but not quite done at the six hour mark which was already longer than the Lestranges. The Carrows, like the Lestranges had a joint trial, however as most of their crimes had been committed at Hogwarts there was an excess of witness, including even the members of the Wizengamot themselves.

Despite all this it was the trial for the Malfoy Family, three days later, that was the most interesting. Harry had worked with Daphne to convince the three of them to petition for a joint trial. The piece that shocked nearly everyone watching however, was not the joint trial, they had seen it twice before, but when Harry stood and announced himself as witness for the defence. Even though Andromeda knew that Harry would be working to get Narcissa off she was surprised that he had so blatantly put himself on their side and judging by the murmurs and angry outburst from the watching crowd. Ginny seemed to be the only one at the Gryffindor table that wasn't completely shocked, of course that was because her boyfriend had warned he that he'd be defending Lucius from paying for one of her worst experiences.

Just like at the Lestrange trial she let a blast of sound from her wand and announced the charges, "Lucius Abraxas Malfoy, Narcissa Irma Malfoy, and Draco Lucius Malfoy you stand before the Wizengamot today accused of respectively 14 counts of attempted murder by means of an Unforgivable, 4 counts of at attempted murder by use of a controlled beast, 17 counts of use of _Cruciatus Curse, _and 1 count of escaping from prison, with 4 count of attempted murder and 23 counts of use of _Cruciatus Curse_, and finally you are jointly charged with the support of the terrorist organization known as the Death Eaters." Once more Andromeda sat at the centre position of the staff table with the other members of the Wizengamot arrayed to either side, though Harry and his chair were noticeably absent as he was sitting in it beside the Malfoys as they were themselves chained to the seat of the accused.

"Chief Witch these people were held at the whim of Lord Voldemort and acted only as they did in an attempt to keep their lives. They are no more criminals than I am." Harry's calm response, which was exaggeration at the bare minimum, elicited an explosion of denial from the gathered crowd.

Andromeda flicked her wand again and caused a blast of sound larger than the others. "There will be silence whilst the trial is ongoing!" She yelled. When the noise quieted she resumed, "Now then, you are alleging Mr. Potter that all of these crimes were commit under duress by You-Know-Who despite the fact that some were committed before he returned to power?"

"Not at all, Madam." He nodded as he answered, "I would say instead all crimes committed by these people were committed, as you said, under duress. If Voldemort didn't make them, then they didn't do it."

Again Andromeda was shocked at his deliberately putting himself on the on the line for them. "I see. Then let us go through these chronologically. On August 7, 1992, were you not Mr. Malfoy, both of you, at Diagon Alley in Flourish and Blotts bookstore?"

Harry looked at Lucius who seemed rather wary of accepting the help of the Boy-Who-Lived. Lucius looked back up at the smaller version of the Wizengamot, "We were there some time in August that year, it may have been the seventh."

"And in the bookstore you, Lucius engaged in an altercation with Mr. Arthur Weasley?"

He paused, and then confirmed "I did."

"And after the two you were physically separated by Rubeus Hagrid, you took a dark artefact and left it in her possession, fully knowing that it would cause her to open the chamber of secrets to attack the muggleborn students at Hogwarts."

"No, if I had any dark artefacts with me that day I would have sold them at Borgin and Burkes where I was prior to stopping at the bookstore."

Harry broke in at this point, "Chief Witch, I was in fact hidden in the store and can confirm that he was there selling things that very day. Additionally, I was in the bookstore and never saw the artefact in question that day."

The three of them went round and round on that point, as it was by itself the necessary point for four attempted murder charges, before McGonagall broke it the cycle, "Enough," she was frustrated enough to be spitting it, "Let us continue to the other charges."

"Indeed," breathed Andromeda before continuing a normal tone, "Then let us go forward to June 1996. It was at that time that Death Eaters invaded Hogwarts at the invitation of one Draco Malfoy. Is that not true?"

Draco started at being directly addressed, and thus paused before he answered, "I let them in, but I didn't want to. The Dark Lord made me he threatened to kill my parents." His voice was quiet, almost like Harry had heard back at Malfoy manor when Harry was the one being held.

Before Andromeda could ask another question Harry broke in, "This is why there was the attempted murder of Albus Dumbeldore. Voldemort had assigned Draco the murder of the Headmaster as punishment for Lucius being caught in the Department of Mysteries the year before."

This same method of questioning went through all of the charges, how Lucius' wand was used by Voldemort against Harry so Lucius wasn't there. How the torture of Luna and Ollivander were made only because Draco was in turn threatened with torture for not doing so and Lucius would have suffered the same thing if he had refused.

The next day the trial continued. "Alright Potter," snapped McGonagall, "You have played with words to deny this and pushed the blame to You-Know-Who and Bellatrix Lestrange. Just how are you going to deny the fact the Malfoys' are in fact Death Eaters and assisted Lord Voldemort in his war against magical Britain."

"Ah, you see," Harry almost laughed; this was going better than he thought and no matter what he didn't owe Draco or Narcissa anymore, "Lucius made a mistake a joined the Death Eaters in the seventies. With the return of Voldemort, he was forced to take part again despite his family's unwillingness to do so, and yes I have proof of their unwillingness."

"Mr. Malfoy," Harry asked, "Do you remember the fight we had in the ministry two years ago? When you and others first came out of hiding and wanted the prophecy from Bellatrix tried to curse me. What did you do?" Harry could see that Neville remembered what he was referring to and was not happy with it.

"I deflected her curse." He stated briefly in a rather clipped tone.

"Exactly, you saved me from her curse. Now Draco a few weeks ago I was captured and brought to your home. You clearly knew it was me in front of you, but when you were asked how did you respond?" Harry was going to go through every point he could where they had helped him even if was only to help themselves. He continued in that fashion, twisting Draco's attempt at control of Crabbe and Goyle in the Room of Requirement and then concluding with Narcissa's lying to Voldemort's face in the forest. That by itself surprised a lot of people. It was hours of arguing before Andromeda called for an end to the proceedings.

Harry went with the other members was called back to the small room behind the staff table that the Wizengamot had adopted as a private meeting place. The debate there was not a pretty one but Harry had succeeded, not even went after Narcissa or Draco after his plays. It was instead Lucius that was targeted and the best that he could argue was for Malfoy Sr. to take a magically binding oath.

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_21 May, TA 2992 Great Hall_

It was the morning after the last day of the trial that Harry gripped Lucius hand with Andromeda's wand pointed at the union. Today he would be setting Lucius free on condition of his Unbreakable Vow. Harry intoned in a solemn voice, "Do you Lucius Abraxas Malfoy swear to never again willingly serve a Dark Lord?"

Lucius was staring into his face as he answered simply, "I do." As he said it a tongue of flame appeared and from the end of the wand and wrapped itself part way around the joined hands.

Harry continued the oath, "And do you swear that except to protect yourself or another you will not raise your wand against another?"

Again Lucius affirmed his oath, and for a second time a flame appeared and wrapped their hands.

To finish it Harry asked he last question, "And do you abdicate all titles, rights, and property to your heir to be exercised in your stead?"

For a third time Lucius answered with an, "I do." Though this answer was a bit stronger and had more feeling that last two. Regardless of any changes in the way it was said the final flame link of flame grew around to wrap completely around Lucius and Harry's hands. Binding him to his oath with his like as the collateral. But as soon as the flames vanished from around their hands both men let go and as the younger one stood back out of his way, the elder was led off to the Slytherin dormitories by his recently freed wife and son. The three of them making as dignified an exit as possible for people that had clearly gotten very lucky with the legal system leaving the court room.


	4. The Locals

Chapter 4

_3 July TA 2992 The Wold of Rohan_

Eomund son of Eoric, Second Marshall of the Mark, had heard reports of Southrons in the northwest of the Wold. Surprisingly, it wasn't the fact that there were Southrons to the north of Rohan that was the strangest part of the villagers tale, no that was that there were only a few, and that they neither attacked or stole from the village.

Despite the fact that he had never heard or any Southrons acting like this, let alone seen any in Rohan to start with, he was determined to ride out with his Eored to combat the villains. He was determined to protect his people, as was his duty and the command of his brother-in-law, King Théoden. Plus late summer was always a good time to ride and no matter what this got his Eored out to practice manoeuvres which was a good thing as lately they hadn't had anything to do in the east of Rohan besides a few small bands of Orcs crossing the Anduin from the Brown Lands or Emyn Muil.

So he rode at the head of another one hundred and twenty men since although he would have preferred to not have him his nephew Theodred had manage to find a way to tag along. In order to try and keep the young prince alive, Eomund had ordered Theodred to ride beside him at the head of the double column. Together as they rode north of the reported sighting a scout came back with more information.

The young man approaching on the pale mare was only a few years older than Theodred and new to the Eored. His horse rode up and slowed as Breolf saluted his Marshall and reported, "My lord, if we follow the Edge of the forest north to the Limlight there is a structure there. I've never heard tell of anything there but it looks old, my lord. Ruins, but of a scale like that of Minas Tirith."

"There are no buildings between Rohan and the Dwimordene." Eomund murmured aloud. No matter what tales he thought of he could not bring himself to think of anything that even hint at a structure or a people to have built it in the area. He resolved himself to investigate, "We ride for these ruins. Lead on Breolf. We will find what these are about."

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_3 July TA 2992 Southern shore of the Black Lake_

It had been weeks of trials, long enough that Harry was sick of sitting there listening to people talk about horrible crimes. He'd seen enough of it when he was fighting them, especially since he got that extra bit whenever he saw Voldemort's mind.

They had finally finished with the last of the Death Eaters in the dungeons and more than half of them ended up executed and only a few were released. Draco and his mother were joined in freedom by two other seventh year Slytherins, Pansy Parkinson and Theodore Nott. Lucius on the other hand paved the way for Gregory Goyle, Licorus Nott, and Miles Bletchley to all be let off with the same oath as Lucius.

Even with those eight being the only ones released there a few of the more impacted victims that were unhappy with them being released. Enough people were sufficiently vocal to make not only those released but even Harry, uncomfortable. In fact, he had taken to spending his time outside with Ginny and avoiding people as often as he could in order to avoid people. It just wasn't worth the comments or even worse the looks of confusion and betrayal from everyone.

It was on one of these day trips out with Ginny and Teddy across the lake that Harry first saw what Kingsley was talking about. The three of them had headed across it for a picnic, just having a family day of it with the twisted family of sorts that Harry had made for himself. While they were eating, Kreacher still was making wonderful food for him, Harry noticed a rider and then riders in the distance to the South.

"Kreacher!" the young wizard bellowed. At the obedient elf's pop of arrival he handed off his squirming godson and ordered the elf to go back, "Kreacher, take Teddy back to Hogwarts, to Andromeda. And get her to send whoever can be spared."

As he was doing this Ginny had at first been confused until she turned around to where Harry had been looking. And noticed the horses coming down the hill toward them at a canter. Thus as Harry was giving his orders to Kreacher, she pulled her wand and was preparing herself for the worst scenario, the one in which the approaching horsemen attacked.

Thankfully, the of them were actually within sight of the castle and the others only had to make it across the lake and a short run to get to them. By the time that their reinforcements arrived across the lake, however the horsemen were almost upon them as Dean, Ron, Susan, and surprisingly Draco ran up with wands in hand to help.

Eomund kept the Eored moving at a trot then at his order they swung around to on encircle the six speeding as they turned around them and tightening as they went. He called out a command and the horses were brought to a halt with the innermost of their riders dropping spears down and at the witch and wizards. Unsurprisingly, it seemed a few more of them were trained on the only one in the centre with dark skin.

Eomund thought this was likely the same people that had been found, there was obviously there was the Southron and even the redheaded man and woman that he had been told about, but none of them were armed beyond a stick that each carried. Admittedly, they were brandishing them in a threatening manner but what threat could a twig be?

In a rather gruff tone the marshal called out in Rohirric to the man who had been there first before the Eored or the others arrived, "Give me your name and what business you have in the Riddermark, man. Speak, or we will cleanse you from the land and leave your corpse to the dogs." He repeated this in Westron when their confusion was obvious on their faces.

It was rather lucky that his comment was directed at Harry because most of the others would have attacked back some verbally and Ron likely magically. Harry however, was a more patient person than his friend and kept his cool, of course he, unlike Eomund, knew that the six of them could hold off the Eored much better than any of the horsemen could expect. It was his forbearance that led him to responding in a tight tone, "Hey now, easy does it. There's no reason for us to fight. My name is Harry, Harry Potter; you say this place is called the Riddermark?" As he spoke he kept his wand in his right hand steady and ready to cast while he held his left up in a conciliatory gesture.

That was not the response that any of the Eored expected and clearly not an acceptable one to Theodred. The boy yelled from the second row he had pushed back to by his uncle, "You know quite where you are, Southron! Kill th—!"

It was as this attempted command that Eomund actually reacted, "Stay. Stay your hands." Eomund had called out quickly actually cutting off the offending remark as it came. "Hairy Potter?" Eomund had turned back to the wizard in question and had received an affirming nod, "I am Eomund son of Eoric, Marshall of this region. You stand in the realm of Théoden King, Lord of Rohan which began at yonder water's edge."

"Ah, I see." Harry really wanted to defuse this with no injuries on anyone's part and continued in the calm, if tight tone, "We aren't exactly from the area, we were forced here. And are actually trying to find a way home."

At Eomund's command the Eored lifted there spears and stood easy even as the prince in their midst complained about it. "Your friend here is clearly of the south. If you wish to return there, take your boats and follow the Limlight east, it joins the Anduin flowing south."

'Ah, now we come to it,' thought Harry. He glanced to his sides at his companions' faces and based on that decided to take a huge risk. "Er, Eomund, we can't do that, for one thing it's not where were from. For another, we were sent here by magic." He stopped here to judge the reactions of his audience, if the Rohirrim were like his relatives, well he was well and truly screwed, but for all he knew witches and wizards openly practiced in this world.

"By magic? And which of the wizards sent you here, Gandalf the Grey or Saruman the White?" queried the Marshal.

Harry blinked at the unexpected questions that his partial explanation had spawned. He attempted to match his answer to the naming patterns apparent in Eomund's question, "It, ah, wasn't either of them. We were attacked by, Lord Voldemort the, er dark."

"Hmm, I have not heard of that one before." He surmised from horseback. "However, I do know it is never a good idea to anger a wizard." Apparently Eomund was feeling more comfortable now as he released the Eored from the circle they formed and then smirked at Harry. The smirk was explained when he added some detail to his earlier statement, "I have learned that much at least from watching Gandalf and those around him when he passes through Edoras."

Again all of the magic users wondered, just who was this Gandalf. But as none of them had anything to say in response to him he decided to ask about the other piece of information new to him. And what then do you know of the ruins, over the river in the distance?"

That was presumably too much for Ron. "Ruins, that's Hogwarts you idiot, a little damage doesn't make the castle a ruin!"

Before Eomund could come back at all he saw the blond open his mouth and respond first, "Weasel, do you ever think before opening you massive mouth. There are muggle repelling wards, he can't actually see the castle."

Three things happened nearly simultaneously after that. First, Harry was groaning internally, Susan reached over and smacked first Ron and then Draco with her free hand accompanied by a quick, "Shut up, boys!", and finally Eomund let his confusion take shape.

"That is clearly a ruin not a castle, which I can, in fact see. And what is a muggle?" The Marshall's three thoughts were directed at first Ron, then Draco, and finally Harry. His question asked in honest confusion which was clearly seen on his face.

"Okay, yes you see a ruin, but it's actually not. It just looks that way because of the magic on it. And muggle just means anyone that can't do magic." Harry paused in his explanation and smiled at the new look forming on both Eomund's face and the obviously eavesdropping men that rode with him, "I think that answers everything there. Well, except for the minor fact where we'll all wizards. Oh, except Susan, she a plainly a witch."

The dumbfounded looks on the rider's faces turned to one's of fear again as Harry mentioned Susan. Trying to stop anything unpleasant he tried to calm the situation, "Whoa, whoa, whoa. I don't know what got all of you so scared but were the same people you've been talking to this whole time. We haven't changed at all, Eomund."

It took some time to calm him, but thankfully he in turn helped to calm his men. It seemed the key piece missing was just that Harry had only meant it to specify Susan as female not evil in any way like they thought, and had been taught, a witch to be. Eventually, Harry convinced Eomund and a small group of his men to come with them across the lake and into the castle.

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The group of boats slowed as they approached the cliff gliding through the arch hidden under the growth of ivy growing over the entire cliff face. Eomund was accompanied by three of his men, thankfully not including Prince Theodred, as well as the six returning to the castle. It wasn't until the boats had started across the lake and the muggles were under the wards that they were able to actually see the castle in all of its mostly repaired glory. The ten of them made their way into the underground harbour to tie up the small boats and head into the castle itself and thus eat as they traded more information.

Since Harry and Draco were members of the Wizengamot, Draco getting his as a hereditary seat because of his father's oath, they escorted the other four into the small room behind the Great Hall that had been co-opted for Wizengamot use despite the fact it was more commonly for the use of the incoming first years waiting to be sorted. Meanwhile Ron, Ginny, Dean, and Susan were tasked with finding the other members of the Wizengamot so they could meet the guests.

It seemed that as they came in that the other members of the Wizengamot were already there preparing for more people to be sent out to help the six that were already there. "Mr. Potter is everyone alright?" asked McGonagall.

"Oh, sorry professor."Harry was a bit abashed at not sending a message at all. "In my defence was a bit occupied." He said as he gestured to his left at the Rohirrim that entered with him.

"Quite." She responded with a well known thin lipped smile.

"Right, anyway." Harry began to go through introductions first the members of the Wizengamot and the Eomund. It was at this point that Harry realized that he didn't know the names of those with him and turned it over to the Marshall to continue for his companions.

"With me are Hornwine, Deorning, and my brother Eoward. I was dispatched to investigate sightings of Southrons in the North of the Wold. Those people have historically been a problem for Gondor our neighbour to the south." Explained Eomund.

It was over several hours that the two groups exchanged information but from it the Hogwartians learned a lot. They now had a general map of the area, or at least what the Rohirrim could do from memory and thus didn't extend beyond Rohan well, however they now knew the general directions that the rivers and mountains went as well as the shape of the forest which was much larger than they had expected.

For their part the Rohirrim learned that Hogwarts hosted over four score of witches and wizards more than any of them even knew existed. More importantly to Eomund they were given assurance of obedience to the law of Rohan whenever they crossed the river, or lake as the case might now be. No one but Draco and Nott, who had also claimed his father's seat after being released, seemed to understand the importance of this agreement.

The two of them left as soon as was no longer impolite to set up a way to make themselves into the economic powerhouses of Hogwarts. The agreement, while unwritten was tied between the Wizengamot and what seemed like one of the highest military leaders of the closest country. They each were headed back their room to brainstorm ways of making money from the stupid muggles. Meanwhile Harry and Neville had taken Eomund his men back to down to the harbour and across the lake to their men.

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_4 July TA 2992 Hogwarts Graveyard_

Harry was walking through the small graveyard that Hogwarts had gotten because of the recent battle. As he walked it was only at that moment he realized he might have found a way to test for a connection back to England. He took the ring off and thought of his parents; He spun the ring through his hands three times concentrating on all of the feelings he had for his parents and the image of them he had seen in the forest the day before everyone had arrived in this new land.

After the ring had spun the third time he looked up and around to see if they were there but found only an empty bathroom. His frustration and disappointment would have been quite clear to anyone watching him, though he was thankful none were there to do so, it would have been embarrassing if someone had witnessed the childish look on his face when he realized no one was coming. He spun the ring over and over again after calling his parents failed first Sirius, then Remus, even Dumbeldore had a turn and none worked. Thinking on he continued walking along the lake toward the forest.

On the edge of the Forbidden Forest where it met the lake was a stone over the mass grave of the Death Eaters, both those that died in the battle and those that were executed and then merely added. None of the survivors had wanted the Death Eaters to be honoured amongst the fallen defenders of Hogwarts that were buried near Dumbledore's tomb along the side of Hogwarts. Thus the Black slab of stone was raised at the head of the grave as a minor nod toward the people buried there. The stone was nearly covered in names it read, Avery, Carrow, Crabbe, Dolohov, Gibbon, Greyback, Goyle, Jugson, Lestrange, Macnair, Montague, Mulciber, Riddle, Rookwood, Rowle, Runcorn, Selwyn, Thicknesse, Travers, Warrington, and Yaxley just listing the surnames of the bodies contained within the grave.

It was toward this grave that Harry walked lost in thought. It occurred to him that besides being dead there was something else in common that everyone he had tried to call had in common. They were all people to die while on Earth, in Britain even, while he couldn't say that about himself currently. So he tested that hypothesis and concentrated on one of the first Death Eaters he had helped to have executed. This time when the ring spun the third time Harry knew it had worked he could hear him here, the swish of the cloak, the croaking voice cursing at him, and his heavy breathing; They were all signs that could be heard immediately but even with them Harry would have known it had worked. He had felt the 'click' of the magic in the ring and he just knew; there was no better explanation.

Harry ignored Rabastan and released him without even speaking to him and concentrated on his brother. Again Harry could feel that it worked even as he heard the first signs that something else was in the small room with him. He released the condemned man's spirit; he discovered incontrovertible proof they were a separate existence from Earth, even the dead could not cross over to this new land they now inhabited.


	5. Dol Guldur

Chapter 5

11 May, TA 2993

It had been over ten months since that first meeting with Eomund and his Eored. In the time that had passed Hogwarts had changed; some of these changes were just from time passing but some were from a major upset in the expectations of the group of people housed there. Hermione, Vector, and Flitwick had finally admitted defeat to the Wizengamot. There just wasn't enough evidence as to what Voldemort had done to send them to Middle Earth; in fact there was almost evidence at all.

It was this announcement, which was quickly shared with the general populous, that created the biggest changes. It came about in late fall when most holed up in the castle as long as possible to escape the cold. Thankfully the elves and a few of the young wizards weren't afraid of getting cold and had helped to keep the kitchens at least somewhat stalked. The elves by duplicating all of the food that they grew or took from Hagrid's garden and the boys by trying to outdo each other in hunting game in the surrounding area.

A few of the shopkeepers and residents of Hogsmead that had gotten swept up in the battle wanted to find a way out of the castle. They had spent the winter drawing up plans to rebuild the village in this new world. It seemed they all kept at least part of the British spirit, stiff upper lip and all. Thus it was that Bill and Fleur were erecting wards around a number of buildings just north of the Quidditch pitch on the other side of the wall that marked the boundary of Hogwarts wards.

Unbeknownst to most of the construction crew, George had enlisted Harry and Ron who had in turn brought in their respective girlfriends to add in a few of the lesser known parts of the village. The tunnel from the humpback witch after all was necessary to the well being of the people living there. All of the however seemed to be particularly proud of the Whomping Willow's tunnel, however. It was from that vigorous tree that one could find access to the basement of the rebuilt Weasley Wizarding Wheezes. The only down side was that there was almost no ingredients to be using and thus a very, very small stock of items most of which were only from some quick charm work. Regardless of this idea of rebuilding the company to keep some aspect of Fred alive seemed to appeal to George, and even stopped Molly from complaining once it was explained to her that way.

It was this village, in the process of being both rebuilt as well as being newly constructed, to which Lucius Malfoy returned from his trip. He had been out searching for any muggle villages in the east and north east along the rivers. As much as he detested having to lower himself to such an unwashed and despicable people he knew it was needed. There simply not enough wizards in Hogwarts to maintain a workable economy and in addition it was easy to take advantage of the stupid muggles anyway. All he needed do was buy up some lightweight trinket that could be easily sold and then use a _Gemino_ charm to make two or three dozen of them and sell them off. If he got bored with that, he could make good use of _reparo_ as well. He could pick up some broken tack or tool cast a simple charm on it and voila it was worth at least three times as much. The only downside he had found to his work was that most of the savages in the villages he visited had little to no actual coin and thus he had to make do with bartering for something he could sell in Hogsmead instead.

But all of that aside he had something more important to bring him back this time. He had gone farther than he normally have and come across something that seemed too familiar to him. It reminded him of the aura that his Lord had once projected when at the height of his power. It was at once dark and enticing and the scariest thing he had seen or more accurately felt since arriving in this strange world. Not merely because of effect similar to that of a dementor but because of its call toward him and the difficult time he had to resist it.

The man refused to live in squalor of Hogsmead when he felt that he deserved so much more. Thus, while he maintained a building there for his work he and his wife maintained rooms in the Slytherin dorms within the dungeons as it was closer to the splendour that befit one with blood as pure as theirs. He had walked into the room he shared with her and told her of the feeling that had so unnerved him. His plan had been to tell it to his wife, have her reassure him and then steer clear of the area to avoid feeling it again.

This plan was shot to hell when Draco overheard everything. The young wizard hadn't even known his sire was in and had only been going to see his mother to escort her to get dinner in the Great Hall. That of course, changed when he walked into Lucius speaking about feeling Voldemort, or something like him, here in this world. That was news that needed to go to the rest of the Wizengamot now, or at least to Potter. The two of them got on a little better than they had in school, mostly from each ignoring the other's presence; however neither would even think of calling the other a friend. Despite that Draco knew with all of his being that Potter would protect everyone in the castle with everything he had available to him, especially from anything resembling the Dark Lord.

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"Father, you need to show the group where to go otherwise we will be walking around blind out there." Said Draco in an exasperated tone. It was easy to see where his exasperation came from he and the other members of the Wizengamot had already said this to his father multiple times.

"I have told you Draco, I will not be going back there. I don't even know where it is anymore." Came the frustrated response of Lucius.

Draco had come to the end of his patience with his father's excuses and made it quite clear in what he said. "Merlin's Beard, regardless of what this body decides, I am the Head of House Malfoy and you will go, end of story." Draco announced before turning back to the other members of the governing body and continuing, "The only thing left to discuss is who else will be amongst the party going."

Andromeda was impressed with her nephew standing up to his father. She just didn't understand why he wasn't one to express family business so openly. Because of this she resolved to pull him aside later to find out just what game was being played here. Regardless of her feelings they did need to decide something soon. "Thank you, for that," she nodded to Draco first saying what most were thinking at least in the back of their minds, "So Harry you have the most experience in putting down dark lords, I turn this over to you."

This was not at all what Harry wanted however, "Right. Well, you all know I've been keeping up training a lot of the DA when we had the time. I think I'll just ask them for volunteers and go take a look. Since we know there are a couple rivers in the way I think I'd like to take the thestrals so we can get there quickly. Plus, we'd be able to get away fast if it came to it." He stumbled as he started but then came up with a quick outline of a plan as he went.

"Potter," Draco called out, "I'd like to volunteer." While his face was blank and hid his emotions, he was in fact squirming all over inside. He was volunteering for the same reason that he had forced his father's hand. He knew he was lucky to get off for obeying Voldemort and that it was mostly because Potter felt he owed Draco's mother. Draco didn't want another dark lord to appear and force him, or anyone else for that matter, to be put in the position he had seen the last few years. '_Never again_,' he vowed.

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15 May, TA 2993

There had been ten of them crammed into the one tent; it really was a lucky break that Hermione still had the beaded bag with the tent she borrowed from Bill and Fleur. Along with the trio themselves and the Malfoy men they were joined by Neville, Ginny, Charlie, his co-worker from the Dragon preserve Ivan Stanevski, and lastly Madam Pomfrey's assistant Sarah Wainscott. The last of them while not a fighter in any sense of the word was great to have along as she would be able to heal them in the field, at least she could heal most things if not everything of the variety of impossibility that was Harry Potter.

They had been travelling for two days and had passed over a rather large river just the day before. It was just after noon that they came up over the forest that had been visible since the river. As they closed in Harry felt the presence it was almost like the dementors but not quite the same. It seemed to be coming from a building on a hill not far into the forest. The building couldn't be described as anything but a ruined fortress. The towers were torn down and there were holes in the wall but everyone present could feel the darkness and just plain dirtiness that emanated from the place.

The ten of them brought their mounts down landing not far from the ruin. The collection of thestrals and hippogriffs were supplement by a couple of the better school brooms all them were laid up with other gear in Sarah and Ivan's care; Sarah as she was only there in case they needed healing, and Ivan was needed for the animals as well as back up if anything came down at the two of them.

The trio and led the way forward from the makeshift camp with the other five trailing behind and to either side. Lucius was trailing behind and only going since he forced along, everyone there new he really was a good duellist when he tried and he would try quite a bit to save his own skin, or his son. "So I know that we're all prepared up for fight but remember we don't know them and should at least try and talk first, okay?" Said Hermione attempting to reassure herself that the boys weren't going to just go in and start a fight because they could, even if it was a terrible, horrid place to be.

Both Harry and Ron had started to respond when a horrid shrieking filled the air. Ginny and Draco had very similar reaction as they covered their ears in an attempted to keep the sound; the others all turned toward the sound their wands swinging, at the ready. The noise ended as a group of three men in dark cloaks road out upon black horses, stopping half way down the bridge that ran from the ruin to the witches and wizards. It was a whispering voice that spoke from the centre most one of the riders, "Who dares come to Dol Guldur? You test the power and will of our Lord Sauron the Great?"

"Dole Golder, huh?" began Harry acting as spokesman for the group, "We're not looking to test anybodies power. We felt... uh, something from this place and we just came to see what was. We don't mean to insult anybody, just exploring since we're from the ar–"

The Nazgûl seemed to tire of his explanation before he had finished and although none of the people from Hogwarts could hear a command it must have been given as all three of them unsheathed their swords and spurred their mounts forward.

This reaction seemed unexpected by all of them and at the approach the dread like that of a dementor became nearly overwhelming. It was because of this that over half the group cast a Patronus into the oncoming charge. A stag, a terrier, an otter, a horse and mountain lion, all glowing with an inner light, charged at the oncoming horsemen causing them to veer off and breaking the charge that only just been started as well as helping to remove the feelings of trepidation that had been growing in the Hogwartians' hearts.

Meanwhile the black riders were not attacking alone. Despite the failed charge the wizard's were not in a dominant position as a group of ten Wargs ridden black scarred things came out of the trees followed by more of their kind on foot. It was to these that Lucius and Draco responded now that the wraiths had been turned aside. The two let loose with a series of curses ranging from the simple spells taught at Hogwarts to Lucius' use of the Unforgivables.

Despite this the weight of numbers was not only on the side of the Orks but of such an amount that the loses inflicted by the Malfoys' dual assault were easily absorbed. "Come guys, back the way we came. _Stupefy_! We need to get out of here!" yelled Ron casting even as did so. At his advise the group gave ground backing down the path they had so recently hiked up toward the animals and their escape.

Charlie, Ginny, and Neville cast shields over the group to deflect incoming arrows while Hermione was performing some complicated transfigurations on the Ork's armour turning into various animals that would turn on the things they were wrapped around. Noting, how much confusion it was causing to have a fight take place amongst the Orks and how it was allowing them more time to escape he copied the essence of her idea. As he didn't quite know the transfiguration she was using he stuck with a simpler idea of merely charming the items them self to life. Not many were able to keep fighting as their swords grew teeth and try to devour the hand holding them or a breastplate deciding to squeeze tighter.

Their luck could hold out forever as a riderless warg got through, clawing Charlie from left shoulder to right hip and making fall as the beast went in for the kill. It was Ron that saved his brother; he cast a banishing charm at the giant wolf as its jaws were coming down at his brother throat. The beast flew away, its jaws crashing together emptily, as it crashed back into two of its fellows knocking them all askew. Charlie was bleeding badly enough that he was unconscious as Ron turned his wand to his brother, trusting those around him to keep them safe. He quickly cast a healing charm, which at least stopped the bleeding even he couldn't heal the wound, and then levitating the older Weasley made his way to the back of the group to get Charlie to Ivan and Sarah.

While this skirmish was taking place the patroni had faded as their casters released the magic to cast other spells. Unfortunately, that meant that the Nazgûl were coming back around. They had dismount in an attempt to fight of the conjured animals with steel. The cloaked wraiths had come around amongst the Orks just before Ron and Charlie in the rear had been caught by Ivan and Sarah.

The nurse began working on Charlie even as the fight was getting closer. She was frantically running her wand back and forth over each of the lacerations, closing the wounds but in no way making up for the blood already lost. She was closing the second one when she saw that Ivan was staring stricken at the body and hadn't moved since Charlie had been laid down and Ron went back to the fight. "Get the animals ready young man," she said sternly enough to break him out of the trance he'd been in, "We clearly need to be leaving quickly."

Harry and Hermione's tactics of sowing confusion amongst the Orks combined quite well with the Malfoys' continued assault on the infantry. In fact, the only things within 30 feet of group were two of the Nazgûl and the few remaining wargs. The group had just past a narrow point where the trees grew closer together giving Hermione had an idea. "Neville, make the trees grow!" She suited action to words and began to grow branches out the trees to her left. When Neville joined her they effectively were creating a barrier across the path they had come up and a few feet to each side.

Her efforts were rewarded as it cut them off from of the majority of their pursuers. But the two closest Nazgûl had swept through the gap before Hermione and Neville's sides had met. And once more the evil feeling spread from them and began to infect the witches and wizards' will. When Harry saw it was just the two he yelled, "Go, get out of here guys, I'll hold them off."

Thankfully they obeyed and made for the brooms and thestrals leaving Buckbeak for Harry and since Ivan was holding the unconscious Charlie on his broom Snowfeathers was let free to follow them. Harry cast a Patronus at the wraith closer to him but then noticed the other headed for Lucius's unprotected back. Much like with the troll in his First Year, Harry blanked on what he could do against the thing and jumped at it. Dodging around the swinging sword he jammed his wand into space near the top of where its face should have been, a few inches from the top of the hood. Despite the appearance of nothing there he could feel his wand jammed into something, the shudder going through his arm. It felt as if it had been pushed through its eye. Knowing he had only a moment Harry cast the first spell that came to mind, yelling out "_Incendio_!" It was a good choice of spell, the thing shrieked in agony as his spectral body was lit on fire from the inside catching even the cloak covering armour in flames.s

Harry's destruction of its fellow both confused and enraged the remaining wraith and as the wizard's back was turned it had an open target to attack. Buckbeak didn't allow that however, both he and Snowfeathers had jumped into the air at conflagration and matching the dying Nazgûl's shriek with their own they dove upon the last wraith as it strode toward suddenly exhausted wizard.

The two protective animals caught the spectre upon its flank and although they couldn't do any damage to it they managed to knock the sword from its hand and so minimize its immediate threat. Neither of the hippogriffs however had the understanding that despite their insistent clawing and the tearing dawn by the sharp beaks they possessed, the wraith was as whole as it had been when it rode forth from the stronghold of evil.

In fact it had drawn a dagger to dispatch the magical crossbreeds when three more patroni came from those already mounted driving it back enough that it seemed to abandon its prey. Harry felt quite weak after dispatching the wraith but looking back to where he expected to see the body all he saw was some slightly blackened armour and similarly coloured sword. He had backed away while it burned and so had to walk forward again in order to examine it. His foot flicked out and kicked helmet causing it to speed away. There was nothing organic left the only ashes from the cloth it had been wearing. "Well, looks like I won some armour." he joked, "Anybody think I could charm this like the ones at Hogwarts?"

The absurd idea combined with the narrow escape had laughter rippling through everyone present. Even Lucius had a smile on his face as he said, "That is indeed the old ways. It's yours, Potter, by right of conquest."

Lucius Malfoy conversing civilly with Harry and more than that actively sharing information that didn't in some way benefit the older wizard struck many of those present as odd, especially Harry himself and the Weasleys that remained conscious. Thus the look on Harry's face as he regarded the blond man was entirely understandable. "Really? So I should just take it?" He asked. The snort from Draco and Neville's verbal confirmation convinced him.

As Harry was picking up the various pieces and shrunk them, Lucius noticed a small gold ring set with a single green stone fall out of one of the gauntlets and go unnoticed by Potter. Watching closely as he stepped over and placed his foot on hiding it from view and picked up the last piece in the pile to hand to Harry and cover his reason for approach. He smiled at the younger wizard look and muttered thanks only to summon the ring when he wasn't being watched and pocket it. His brief glance at it had made it look quite appealing and the magic he could feel in it would definitely bear investigation once alone.

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The ten of them managed to fly for about hour before they felt comfortable enough to land and have Nurse Wainscott look them over, especially Charlie and Harry. During the flight she had managed to force a blood replenishing potion down his throat which helped him to regain consciousness. Thus it was no surprise that Harry was being manhandled by the evil healer and, at times like this when she was worried about his equally evil, girlfriend. Meanwhile, Charlie was resting his head back against his Ivan snuggling into his body as Ivan murmured softly and brushed the ginger hair aside to kiss his forehead.

As all of this was going on, most of the others set up camp but Lucius managed to sneak off on pretext of looking for game for diner. What he actually was after was a chance to examine his new ring. He realized he been rather rash to just touch it earlier without examining it at all so to make up for that he cast a barrage of detection spells to find what spells if any were laid on it. Fortunately or unfortunately depending on one's view, the ring came up clean. There were no curses or hexes on it of any kind; in fact the only positive that came up was when he began looking for charms enchanted into it. Apparently, it had a Disillusionment Charm or something close enough to give a positive, built into it. That didn't make sense though, he could clearly see it, and seeing as the thing had worn the ring, it had likely been visible to the spectre, too.

Thinking about he realized what it must mean and tested his idea by putting it on. Just as he expected everything about his person became invisible; he, his robes, the wand in his hand all of it seemingly vanished. The wizard was however completely unaware of The Eye that was now searching for him. It had felt the death of its servant and though he would never admit it, not even to Morgoth himself, Sauron didn't understand how it could have happened or what this new power wearing the ring was that he felt.

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AN: Those of you asking about Pius Thicknesse, if you look closely at the end of the last chapter you'll see his surname listed in the graveyard. Also, if none of the Istari were gonna visit before I think the destruction of one of the nine would start somebody sniffing around. I also love that the placement of Hogwarts would allow me to use Gandalf, Radagast, and/or Saruman as they all could have reasons for going there. Also don't expect updates this fast all the time the semester starts back up on Monday.


	6. Training

Chapter 6

_20 May, TA 2993 Wizengamot Chambers_

Harry, Neville, and Draco had finally finished reporting to the remainder of Wizengamot as to what had happened at Dol Guldur as they had learned the place was called. "Uh, Professor McGonagall, Professor Flitwick could you stay for minute?" Harry asked. It seemed he always got forced be the spokesman and leader even the he never asked for the job.

Both of the named professors turned back, Flitwick especially with a surprised look, while the others looked curious been continued heading out of the room. When it was only the five of them left in the room Ron, Hermione, and Ginny filed in from where they had been waiting outside, and took some of the recently emptied seats.

"While we were fighting I realized that there were a few things that I wanted to learn." Harry explained, "When I discussed it later with Ron and Hermione, these guys heard as well and I thought it be good for them, too. We were hoping we could get your help."

"Mr. Potter, while I am not one to ever fault one's attempts to continue his or her education, what particularly is it that the six of you would like Filius and myself to teach you?" Asked the strict professor.

It was Hermione that answered her favourite professor, "Well we wanted to know if you would teach us to become Animagi."

Neville broke in quickly at that, "Not me. You know that I'm pants at Transfiguration. Actually I wanted to follow your advice and learn more charms," he turned to the shortest man in the room, "So we could duel better, with a wider range of spells and tactics."

The professors had very little resistance to their ideas and in fact set a schedule up rather quickly to meet with them. Flitwick had all of them come in for individual sessions with him as well as a group meeting in order to evaluate them without participating in a duel. On the other hand, McGonagall informed them that the path to become an Animagus was a rather individualized experience and she would gladly help guide them, but most of the preliminary work was meditation that was best to be done alone.

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_22 July, TA 2993 Room of Requirement_

Harry closed his eyes and again tried to put his mind into the necessary trance. It seemed no matter what he tried in the two months since he'd started he stayed at this point in his training and couldn't get any farther in finding just what form his inner animal took. Of all the things he was working on, learning to be an Animagus really was the least useful, but it was the one he was most looking forward to it. He felt it was something he owed to the Marauder's to try and keep their spirit alive in the next generation.

That was why he was currently sitting alone in the middle of the floor of Room of Requirement. He had tossed his robes of to one side and was sitting with his legs crossed trying to cut off all sensation of the outside world. Supposedly, this sort of mild sensory deprivation was supposed to allow him to reach in to himself and better hear body.

Breathing deeply and trying again to simultaneously clear his mind as well as find 'primal core', two rather contradictory ideas thank you very much, he finally felt something. At soon as it came however he had lost it but he knew it was a clue because never in his life had he wanted to eat grass before. That was exactly what he had been looking for, now to just do it again.

The sense of falling within himself that he briefly had was rather difficult to find. It was almost like when Voldemort had been alive and had his angriest sending out visions. The difference was it was the exact opposite way, Voldemort visions were overpowering and bled over everything that Harry was thinking, seeing, or just generally experiencing, but the vision Harry was after was subtle and hard to find. It was easily covered over and Harry had to fight himself to bring it the forefront of his mind as opposed to blocking it out of his mind. The biggest aspect in common however was that the exercises for Occlumency to block Voldemort and the meditation to find his Animagus Form in a vision both left him with a massive bloody headache.

Wind, he could feel it blowing past his body. There was another feeling, freedom, almost like when he was on a broom. Not playing Quidditch, just out flying and enjoying the lack of restrictions. That realisation almost made him loose it in memories of flying and thoughts about the new broom that Oliver Wood was trying to develop; it had something about Whomping Willow twigs being superb twigs for the tail. Push those thoughts out of his conscious mind he mentally groped back to the wind and feeling of autonomy. He finally grasped at it and fell into the vision.

Now he just knew it was the speed of movement, that's what reminded him of flying. He wasn't autonomous at all; there were others around him, running with him from something though what it was he didn't know. He had managed to briefly glance back and see something coming at him but he couldn't tell what. Trying to figure it out he nearly lost the vision again. Getting it back he felt that he'd slowed, for which he was grateful due to all the trees now around them, many with the bark torn off the lower trunks. He made his between them toward the water he was not far from him. He knew from the group he was in that he was some sort of deer or elk, much like his father had been, but he tried to keep that in the back of his mind so as to not let it overwhelm the visual that had come to him.

Getting to the water's edge he finally saw his head in this form. His immediate thought on seeing his massive antlers was 'Wow, I have a huge rack.' This was followed closely by the name of his form jumping into his head despite the fact he didn't recognize it. Unfortunately, that first thought sent him into thinking about Ginny and he lost the vision completely and was back in his body. Upon checking the time he was glad of that though as it was almost time to meet the group for the duelling lesson with Flitwick.

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_22 July, TA 2993 Quidditch Pitch_

Harry made it into the Quidditch Pitch, which the six of them were using for duelling, and managed to make it there before the professor that had consented to help them improve their duelling against multiple people like had happened with the Orks. He spotted the others and with a massive smile on his face he told them the news, "I found it. I've got my form!"

"Took you bloody long enough, mate. Even Malfoy already found his form," Ron heckled as he turned to the blond to finish, "though we all knew he was a ferret already."

"At least I'm not a _Bull_-headed Gryffindor!" Malfoy retaliated.

"Was that needed, Ronald?!" Hermione smacked Ron, and gave a Draco a stern look to stop any argument that would have brewed between the two. Turning back to Harry again she asked, "So what is your form? Are you a bird like Ginny so you two can go flying together?"

Even in his excitement Harry felt bad denying the look of hope on Ginny and Hermione's faces. "Uh no, I'm not any type of bird, sorry Gin. I'm a Giant Elk. I'm even bigger than Ron." Harry laughed at everyone's rather surprised faces, "It makes sense my Dad was a stag, after all."

Ginny recovered and pulled Harry closer to wrap her arms around him in a hug. "I admit I'm a little disappointed that we can't go flying, but we've always got brooms." Her eyes sparkled as her lips curved playfully at him, "Plus this way I'll have your antlers to land on whenever I'm tired."

"I still expected you to break the rules and somehow be a phoenix Animagus somehow." Neville said, "I mean, even though I know you, you're still The Harry Potter. You take super deadly curses likes it's no big deal and fight dark wizards for fun," He exaggerated with an enormous smile on his face.

"No, he couldn't be. Professor McGonagall told that an Animagus was always a nonmagical animal. She told us at the very first lesson at the same time that she was saying that it was very advanced magic and how some of us may have had spells having to do with animals in our lives that affect what form we would take. That's why Malfoy and I have the forms we do." Hermione's lecture was surprisingly a very good summary of what the professor has told them the when she began teaching them the transformation.

Flitwick arrived before further comment could be made and started on the lesson for the day. Once more they would be practicing a kind of duelling that had been ignored in Britain since the last Goblin Rebellion. Magical duelling where both participants had a wand was not very applicable to the fights that might happen. Thus, the six of them were learning a few things that suited each of their strengths.

Hermione, for instance, had memorized three separate spell books from the library highlighting the spells that had been useful against Urg the Unclean and his followers in the 18th century. That approach wouldn't work however for the others, Harry and Neville were learning some basic attacks and blocks with their respective swords, that could be used in addition to a wand. It was humorous that despite the mutual dislike, Draco and Ron had a rather similar style when it came to duelling: hit them hard, if they get up hit them harder. Ginny however, was the closest to duelling like the professor and thus he naturally knew more ways to help her improve.

While Ginny was not quite as small as Flitwick she was smaller than the others and quite fast, too. Thus, she, and Harry to a lesser extent, could follow the style Flitwick had used on the duelling circuit with little to know shielding and plenty of dodging so as to increase the amount of offensive spells in the same amount of time. It worked for her almost as well as Flitwick himself.

Today however, was their day to be tested. Flitwick hadn't liked the odds that had been reported from Dol Guldur and wanted to make sure their practice sessions made up for it at least some. It was for that reason that the other four were now brandishing a collection of conjured swords or in Ron's case a bow. The point was to allow for a numerical advantage to the one side but not allow them the use of their wands and hope that the smaller number could use theirs to still win.

Harry raised his wand as soon as he heard the call come from wear Flitwick stood in the stands watching and evaluating his performance. The fact that Ron was staying quite far back was rather nice but Harry wasn't too keen on the ginger taking pot shots at him. He moved sideways and back to keep Hermione in front of Ron to block the shot while trying to curse Neville, who was the best of them without a wand.

Harry was distracted from his initial target when Draco charged from the right. Harry barely had enough time to get turned toward him before he was blocking the strike. The sound of metal on metal was heard throughout the pitch and Harry pushed his wand into Draco's gut just enough to make it felt as he smiled around a quick, "_Stupefy_."

Unfortunately, while that was going on Neville had closed on Ginny. Forsaking the sword in his hand, Neville had tackled her into the side of the stadium where they tumbled over a storage box, the sword thankfully spilling out of his longer reach. As the two went over the box they knocked it open exposing the set of Quidditch balls waiting to be used. Thinking quickly she aimed toward the strained chains within the box. Her aim was actually improved when Neville pushed the wand away from his face and inadvertently straight at the box behind him.

"_Relashio_! _Relashio_!" She yelled with only a minute difference in aim. Her quick work was rewarded as even though Neville managed to 'kill' her and take her out of the exercise he was struck by the iron balls. She couldn't see them hit from her angle but the sound was enough. First one bludger, and then almost immediately after, the other struck the poor boy leaving him to fall groaning to the grass as they sped off for another target.

During Ginny's tussle meanwhile Harry was being confronted by his best friends. He ran straight for Hermione and easily dodged her attempted strike. With a profound flourish at her leg he called, "_Brackium emendo_." His purposefully miscast spell hit her and she dropped, completely unable to support any weight on, or even control, the now boneless leg.

"Harry Potter what did you do!?" she shrieked.

Ignoring the question, Harry left her on the ground and went for Ron who was looking wide eyed at Harry. He was lucky he heard the whistling sound as it caused him to drop to the ground and avoid the bludger that had been headed for his skull. Their release was both good and bad for Harry. The one that over shot him continued on for Ron, who instinctively tried to block with the piece of wood in his hand. The bow however was not a beater's bat; it deflected the bludger but cracked in the process making it a useless weapon. Likewise, Harry did not escape unscathed.

The second bludger hit him in the arm knocking the sword from his left hand. Harry could tell from experience his wrist was broken, again. Cradling it to his chest to limit the jostling he froze the offending ball in place with a quick charm before turning his attention back to the only remaining opponent. Despite the fact that Ron had a broken bow somehow arrows were incoming. He didn't understand, 'Did Flitwick replace it for him?' His idea was thrown out when he followed the arrows curve to the wand that Ron held against the bow conjuring the arrows flying at him. "Oi, quit cheating Ron!" he said indignantly. The response was laughter and more arrows.

Feeling rather put out with his friend, since dodging all the arrows wasn't his idea of fun; he tried the new curse Hermione had taught him. It was actually the same thing he had seen Dumbeldore use in the cave hunting for a horcrux. His wand lashed out with the whip of fire trailing from it scorching the grass wear it touched.

That coming out gave Ron the motivation to concede but not before it had lit the wood in his hands on fire. The two of them started to cleanup and get everyone else presentable enough to head to the Hospital Wing for further treatment as Flitwick spoke to them.

"Well done Harry, Ginerva." He complimented, "I always expect some damage from duel, but why are yours always the more destructive?" The laughter in his voice took any bite out of the admonishment. His confusion became real though on examining Hermione's leg. "What did you do to her leg? It's been deboned!" He exclaimed.

Harry turned an abashed face back to the professor from where he'd been reviving Draco. "Umm, I Lockharted it." The laughter from almost everyone except Hermione calmed him, "I remembered it happening to me at school when he miscast the spell and I thought it better that a bone breaker so I did it wrong on purpose."

Flitwick was reassured when Hermione was alright as she threatened Harry with just what she would vanish from his body. He continued with his analysis, "Ginerva, excellent use of your surroundings the bludgers were a wonderful idea. Now, Ronald, that was a good use of the Appleby Arrow charm, I haven't heard of it used outside of a match before. But this doesn't mitigate the fact that Harry spoke rightly in calling it cheating."

After explaining to the two a few places they could have improved he bid them adieu before he too had to face the wrath that he knew would await any of them unfortunate enough to have to go to the Hospital wing after a session. Harry and Ginny thanked the stars that they could both avoid it and instead went off by themselves.

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_7 Oct, TA 2993 The Burrow_

Harry was sitting with his arm around Ginny in the dining room of the Burrow as they watched Teddy playing with the toys that George had made him. With the amount of time that Teddy spent with the Weasley's and the recent arrival of little Victorie, George had spent almost as much time making toys as he had trying to make a working store. It was only his business acumen that made him start putting some examples of the toys up in a corner of his shop since he knew eventually there would be other kids, too.

"You know every time we come over here his hair is always that shade of red" Harry commented, "It's like he subconsciously wants to fit in with the rest of you guys. It makes Fleur and I the only ones left out."

"Oh, boohoo," Ginny smiled at him, "You know you love your hair. Plus, Victorie's hair looks pretty blond; she'll probably take after Fleur more than Bill."

It was then that Molly called the rest in for dinner. Harry picked up his Godson and put the toddler on the bench between him and Ginny effectively boxing him in since there was no high chair. As Harry had come to expect Molly's meal was wonderful even when forced to have such a limit selection of choices. There was a massive tub of mashed potatoes, a loaf of coarse bread, plenty of vegetables in a Cream Sauce from the goats Aberforth had caught, and the centre of it all the wild boar that Ron had caught rooting in the garden.

"So Ginny, have either of you made any progress on being able to change into your forms, yet?" asked Hermione as they ate.

"Well, I've got part of it, but the bones are really hard since there so different. But Harry is doing really well, McGonagall told him yesterday that he might just fully transform by Halloween." Bragged Ginny.

Ron's sputtered, "What? Awesome, mate!" and Hermione's wide eyes seemed a more than adequate reward for the surprising remark. When the bushy haired witch had gathered her thoughts again she still sounded impressed, "That's really good Harry. She told us we might by Christmas. I keep getting stuck with fur all over my body," she lowered her voice so most of the others couldn't hear what she said next, "It's just like back when I was thirteen. It's awful."

Ron spoke up then, wondrously avoiding hitting anyone with the food from his mouth, "She thought it was bloody hilarious when I was stuck with horns on my head for hours, though."

"Ronald, language!" Reprimanded his mother, "There are children here."

It wasn't long after that when the various children started to head out. George back to his apt over the shop, and Bill's family to their own cottage, while Harry made his way back to Hogwarts. Teddy was balanced on his hip staring at the world happily. Times like this made him realize that it really wasn't that bad at all being in this world. People were safe, and he could be happy here.

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AN: Like every other author on here I must ask, please oh please click that button. Reviews por favor.

Other than that I'm pretty sure the next chapter is going to need to be split but I'm not entirely sure how to do so. I think that tentatively it'll be up some time during the weekend. Maybe, hopefully.


	7. The Dwimordene

"Westron/English"

[Other Language/Sindarin/Khuzdul/Parseltongue/etc.]

Chapter 7

_6 November, TA 2994 Home of Bill and Fleur Weasley, Hogsmead_

The year had turned again and they were coming back toward the snow and ice as the world turned from summer toward winter. Harry had finally convinced his friends to go with him to explore the forest north of them. He still found it hard to believe they had been here for almost two years and yet no one had gone to the forest to the north when it was only one hard days travel from them.

He had teased them enough time that while Neville and Draco had to stay, one for planting that would start soon and the other because shipping to and from the muggle villages in the Wold would begin near the same time, Harry had managed to pick up two more. Flitwick decided that he had to go since otherwise he would never be able to tell if any of their hard work had actually paid off. Bill however admitted to Harry that he just wanted to go with and have fun for change. He had been bummed out that last time he was needed in Hogsmead to set up the wards and thus couldn't go. Needless to say, Fleur was not thrilled with the idea.

"And how would eet look, Bill?" She argued emphatically, "When people see you leaving me and little Victorie, what vill they theenk? Zey vill theenk zat you do not care or worse zat I have thrown you out."

"Fleur, sweetie," He said quietly as cupped her face with one hand pulling her closer with the other. "No one will think that. Everyone knows how much I love you, if they don't then their stupid. I use to enter trapped tombs on a daily basis I want to be able to go explore something new."

The French-woman sighed, "I know Guillaume, I know." She searched for any reason to keep him here not wanting to get hurt because that's all she could think of from the stories that had been brought back from Dol Guldur. "But how vill you eat. No one vill be zere to cook and take care of any of you." She finally said.

Bill laughed at that and tried and failed to muffle it. She looked at him now mad, "And just what ees funny about your wife worrying about you?"

He'd be in trouble now if he wasn't careful. "It's not you. I was laughing because Mum said basically the same thing when she heard that Ron and Ginny were going." He explained, "She knows that Harry can cook but he had to promise that Kreacher would come with to feed them."

The two sat in companionable silence for watching the fire burn in the grate in front of them. Fleur broke the quiet, "If you really want to go on zis adventure, do eet. But you tell 'Arry to return you safely or he vill wish it was only You-Know-Who coming after him!"

Bills only response was to pull her in even closer and kiss her deeply. He'd have stayed if she really wanted him but this just sound like fun, especially because of the stories that the Eorlingas told about it. Maybe they'd actually find the witch that Eomund had talked about!

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_8 __November_, TA 2994 Southern Border of Lothlorien

Haldir was alerted by his brother Orophin that there were strangers just outside the forest, five men and a dwarf, camped with the strangest of creatures. At first he had thought that his brother was lying to him like when he was a child, but then he had gone and seen them himself. There was a giant eagle sitting with them eating small rodents, no it wasn't eagle, it had four legs the back two, hooved like a horse. The horse eagle thing wasn't even the weirdest creature with them their horses were like to something from Morgoth. The leathery wings and the gaunt, skeletal structure of the body were horrible to look at.

[What are you staring at so hard, Haldir?] Asked his youngest brother, Rumil.

[The horse-things, can't you see those, things?!] he exclaimed, louder than he had intended in his surprise.

Rumil looked askance at him, [I can see the bird-horse thing. It's strange but it's not that bad.]

Haldir was surprised at the question; it was dark with sun set behind the Misty Mountains but any elf should have been able to still see the beasts. His tone let some his emotion bleed in as he answered, [No, the ones that look like a vampire bred with a horse.] At Rumil's still confused and now suspicious look he cut the conversation off hoping that they could solve the riddle of the monsters visibility when they had captured them. It shouldn't be hard after all only two of them were armed, though the one wore the armour of a Númenóreans from before the fall.

He sent his orders out to both his brothers and the remaining members of his company of marchwardens. To spread out along the tree line and make sure that they were always watched and could sneak past them. He suited himself to his orders and listened in to the conversation drifting in from their camp, thankfully he actually understood Westron and thus was the best to be placed so close to them.

"So tell me again why Sarah couldn't come with us, I know she did a lot to help Charlie last year?" asked the tall red haired man.

The armoured man with the dark hair answered, "Oh come on Bill. Haven't you seen her lately?"

The woman with hair matching the first man gestured her hands in a curve over her stomach as she smirked, "That's not a quaffle under her robes after all. I thought you'd have understood that."

The group was laughing at the man that spoke first when a small creature with enormous ears appeared from around their tent. It looked to the armoured man, "Dinner is ready, master. I have brought some of the elf wine to accompany it would you like that now?"

"Ah, thank you Kreacher I'm sure that will be wonderful." The man responded. Even as he spoke the Creature, as it seemed to be aptly called, returned. Though Haldir couldn't see how the creature did it so quickly but as he saw everyone now had a bowl of stew and cup of what he could only assume was the afore mentioned elf wine.

As the conversation dwindled on in irrelevance he sent out his orders to keep a watch of two wardens on the group at all times but the rest were to rest so as to be refreshed on the morrow when a likely confrontation was to occur. His last thought before leaving himself was how these strangers must be the ones that were their lady had spoken about.

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_9 November, TA 2994 Southern Border of Lothlorien_

Haldir's expectation of a less than pleasant meeting for all involved was quite correct. Harry had taken the last watch and woken them all as he and Kreacher prepared sausages to break their fast. After finishing they packed rather quickly to head into to the unusual trees that looked almost like massive birches.

The Thestrals had had bridles put on them so that everyone could lead their own mount. The only exception to this was the only non-Thestral mount, Buckbeak, who as usual had a lead on his collar. The seven of them lead the animals as they started in to the Dwimordene, the first Hogwartians to do so. It was still early morning at most an hour since they first came across the people who dwelt in the forest.

Bill had stopped them saying he could swear he heard something near them in the surrounding trees. They spread into a loose semicircle looking to see what had alerted him and if it were a threat. Understandably they were surprised when an arrow was shot out of the trees to imbed itself in the ground between Ron's feet.

To accompany the shot a loud call came from above them saying, "Lay down your arms and you shall not be harmed." As soon as it understood everyone's wands were up as they searched more frantically for the danger that before most hadn't even believed was there.

Flitwick took point as the eldest of the group and he was the one to respond to the mysterious voice. "Why should we listen? What proof do we have of your word?"

A being dropped down in front of the group only a few feet forward, from the trees above them. He looked like a Veela might if one were male, full of their beauty but as cold as the fire that Veela threw was hot. "You would do better, dwarf, to not insult the one who holds your life in his hand." He spat at Flitwick. With a glare he turned to look at Ron and then Harry he continued. "Your swords. Now." He said coldly.

Ron mouth had opened and he was about to erupt when Flitwick answered back calmly first. "Ron, Harry do what he says." Ordered the professor, "It'll be fine; don't worry."

Still grumbling Ron unbuckled the Sword of Gryffindor that he had borrowed from Neville and lowered it to the ground with the sword Harry had won at Dol Guldur. "Now what, are you going to shoot anyway? I thought Malfoy was just a bastard not all blonds." He muttered angrily.

"The Lady has asked for your presence. You will be escorted to Caras Galadhon to await her judgement." Haldir explained. He glanced quickly at the swords on the ground to ascertain their position and then quickly pulled his gaze back up to watch the strangers as he picked up the blades. "How came you by this blade? By these gems it is made for a king; no doubt you acquired it through thievery as you sought to do here."

Haldir ignore the protest that was made it didn't matter anyway he was only to follow his orders concerning them. With that in mind he whistled for his company to form up around what he thought of as disarmed prisoners and relieve them of their strange mounts.

Flitwick let the take the leads to the mounts and even told Harry to stop Buckbeak from attacking the rude being pulling at the rope attached to the Hippogriff's collar. Though this whole encounter their wands had been ignored as irrelevant and thus while their captors thought them disarmed and no threat, especially since he had been blindfolded, they still had the most important weapons on their person. He laughed to himself as the thought about it, 'The last I saw, most of us were openly carrying our wands.' They were already right in hand and ready if needed.

"Well boys, you should be happy. You were going on and on about the witch in these woods; looks like we get to meet her." Hermione had spoken in a jocular manner to tease them and hopefully ease the tension somewhat.

Sadly she had chosen the wrong topic as Haldir's reply was swift and filled with venom. He speared her with a glare that made Snape's best look pitiful and spat, "Speak not so of our Lady lest you lose your tongue woman!"

"Hey, asshole, don't yell at her!" burst Ron as he moved to curse the idiot. Thankfully his brother understood Flitwick's plan and grabbed his arm forcibly lowering it.

He leaned in to whisper in the younger wizard's ear, "Ron cool it and just ignore him. That guy's opinion doesn't matter. Remember we want to go where there taking us anyway, ok?"

At the grumpy assent to the logic the last outburst ended so they could finally head off. Though of course none of them knew exactly where this city was they were headed toward and had to take it on faith they were headed the right way. In Harry's opinion, and Hermione would have agreed had she heard it, they were all lucky that Kreacher hadn't hit anyone with a frying pan yet like he done with Mundungus Fletcher in 12 Grimmauld Place.

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_9 November, TA 2994 Caras Galadhon, Lothlorien_

Despite throwing away the Statute of Secrecy with the Eorlingas the very first native group they had met, they kept the advantage they had been given and didn't let on that they had any ability beyond the natural. Though Flitwick was unfortunately unable to see it as they had, understandably, mistaken him for a dwarf, the others were rather floored at the beauty of the forest they passed through as they travelled. The Dwimordene seemed to be the farthest one could get from the Forbidden Forest that they all knew and was even different from the Forest of Dean that some of them had stayed in.

Since they had left so early from their camp on the edge of the wood and Haldir marched them at a rather quick pace they made excellent time across a river, they had been informed it was called the Silverlode, and into a city built around the largest trees any of them had ever seen before. They were grown so tall that the city was built in their branches with open stairways wrapped around them to get to the platforms as set upon the boughs.

Their guard left to tie down the animals as the seven of them were led to wait at the bottom of one of the largest of the trees the professor's eyes freed now they had arrived at their destination. It seemed to be that they were truly expected as it was rather a short wait before they were lead up and presented to the Lord Celeborn and Lady Galadriel of Lothlorien.

There had been a series of blasts on a horn first below and then above to announce their coming. When they entered the room there were a large number the same being as had surrounded them through the travel in the bright forest, but two there were with seats against the trunk of the enormous tree. These had to be the Lord and Lady; after seeing them each knew that no other could hold the title over them. The male was tall and stern in his appearance and more richly dressed than any save the woman at his side. She in turn made even Fleur fade in comparison, her beauty more astounding them even the full Veela Harry had once seen from Bulgaria.

Haldir had accompanied them up and went personally to announce them as strangers caught invading. [My Lord and Lady, theses five men were found attempting to enter our Southern border with the Dwarf and this other creature.] He announced pushing Kreacher forward when he was mention at the end.

The rulers of the land examined them at length. It had gotten to the point where a few were debating speaking even though the professor had been the de facto leader since they had been found by these people. Celeborn stood and addressed them even as Ron's mouth opened and then was quickly snapped shut. "How come you to enter our land unbidden? We suffer not the passing of evil in our wood," He said harshly.

"Peace my husband, I had seen their coming and they are welcome," Said the woman as she laid her hand upon his arm. She looked closely at all seven of them, some longer than others. "Three among you are kin and two more under the sign of the lion, and one eagle, small in stature though no less fierce, but no badgers or serpents among you, she commented. "You wondered what we _are_ do you not? You have never seen our like the firstborn of Illuvatar, called elves by men. You have each battled such evil for ones so young, you are marked by it." She approached Bill and slid her hand up to almost touch the scars on his face as she spoke, "Marred by evil we have not seem since the War of Wrath and overthrow of Morgoth. You will be pleased the werewolves have not been seen in over an age."

She moved immediately from the tallest to the shortest before continuing to the rest, looking in to the eyes of each as she spoke to them. "You will find the dwarves here you were mistaken for are like to you kin in all save their look while the name of goblin is cursed." She continued through them to Kreacher standing to Harry's left side closer to the others and thus first in her progress. "You who are the most loyal and most despicable of servants, your heart is filled for you for you are as we could have fallen to." So saying she turned to his master and looked in to his eyes searchingly, "You have been touched by a great ev–"

She was caught off by the wizards finally breaking there silent ban on the use of magic. "_Stupefy_!" the young man called, "Stay out of my head; my thoughts are my own!" The startled cries from his companions at both his spell making her collapse and then, for those who understood the implication of her use of Legilimency, even more so at what he'd said.

Unfortunately, casting a spell and revealing himself as a wizard was not the best thing to do when faced with royalty in their own throne room and surrounded by an already hostile guard. This was proven when Hermione, Bill, and Flitwick were forced to throw a series of shields to stop the suddenly incoming arrows.

Kreacher however seemed to only have locked on one thing, these were elves and they attacked his Master. "No," he cried, "Youse a bad elf. You will not hurt Kreacher's Master. Kreacher said NO!" Every few words he said another elf was thrown back some sadly falling to what, from this height, could only be their deaths.

Harry, Ron and Ginny were safe behind the shield and started to drop the closest elves to them when Harry saw Kreacher thrown someone over the edge. "Kreacher, stop; go get the animals we need to leave." He said. He heard the soft pop signifying obedience as he summoned the two swords that Haldir had taken in preparation for their exit.

"Miss Granger you and I are the best with shields against projectiles so when the elf returns with the animals you and I will maintain this while everyone else mounts," Explained the short man. "Once they are all on you will get on followed by me and hopefully we can get out of this blasted wood by safely."

Kreacher came back with two of the thestrals at a time, releasing them to stand on the edge of the large flet. First Ron and then Ginny got on board and once they were they urged the thestrals in the air next to the platform so as to be out of the way of the next incoming set. By the time, the last of them were mounted up there was no one on this platform left conscious to stop them however that said nothing for the others.

There was no way that the seven them could hope to take on the city of elves here let alone the entire wood. To that end the only attempted to flee, the wings of their mounts came in more good than just to assist in loading that day as it allowed them to also fly over and under the flets on the trees as they passed thus using the elves own dwelling as a cover in their escape. The concentration on the northern edge of the City seemed less dense since they were already closer to that edge so they made for that direction.

The Thestrals weren't intelligent enough to be able to tell just what was happening around them but they could sense the fear of their riders and hear the yells and noise from behind as they flew faster than normal to escape the both the city and the wood of which it was the capitol.

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_Very early morning 10 November, TA 2994 Misty Mountains Northeast of Lothlorien_

The sun had set as they finally broke free from the trees near the north-western corner of the forest. There was no way that any of them wanted to make camp this close to the forest so they used the light reflected by the moon to follow the river into the mountains. As Bill had said they could follow the mountains south in the daylight to completely avoid the Dwimerdene on the return to the castle.

"Hey there's a lake down there let's just stop here. We've been flying for hours," Complained Ginny.

"Alright, let's go then," groaned out Harry. He was as tired as the rest of them but on top of that he had spent their entire flight blaming himself for all of the elves' deaths as well as anything that might yet happened to his friends now that they'd had to flee.

They set up a camp quickly; merely clearing a spot for the tent and then erecting in by magic to sleep while Bill volunteered for first watch. They passed through the night each taking a turn at the boring job of sitting on the cold and practicing a warming charm to keep from going numb.

Thus it was that when the east was pale with light when Harry noticed a figure come out of what they'd thought to have been a shadow the previous night. He looked deep in thought with a beard long enough to be tucked in into belt and though his head would only be to Harry's shoulder at most, it was covered in hair as white as Dumbeldore had worn, though the Headmaster hadn't parted his beard like the one coming toward them was. 'Perhaps this is one of the dwarves mentioned by the Lady yesterday,' he thought.

* * *

ANs: Mer, the warg is an awesome idea that will be incorporated at some point I think.

ViolatedMonkey and whoever the guest was with a similar comment, its not about what awesome stuff I can describe them doing the idea is to try and think that if we accept the cannon works having happened and then the worlds were joined in this fashion what would they do, how would they interact. I have a refugee people thrown in an unknown land not group of super powerful people that want to rule the world or rediscover new ways to do what they already can with simple spells. If it can be done with in cannon why change it, that's not the way their culture works.

Okay, rant over I swear and I got this done early, your welcome. I found something out to day and had to adjusted to the dates some so this chapter jumped eight months into the future.


	8. Khazad-dûm

Chapter 8

_November 10, TA 2994 Shores of Kheled-zâram, Azanulbizar_

Balin son of Fundin, rightful Lord of Moria, had left the east gate of his kingdom in deep thought. He walked out early that morning to look into Kheled-zâram hoping that like Durin he might see something in the deep waters telling him how to keep his small colony alive. Over five years they had been here and yet there had been no population growth and in fact there had been a loss of life reclaiming their ancestral halls from the filthy Orks that claimed Khazad-dûm or most of it at least.

He climbed down from the gate in the face of the mountain to the valley of Azanulbizar proper. His body just followed instinctively where to go but his mind was lost on what to do, only paying the slightest attention to his surroundings. It was with that frame of mind that he heard an unexpected shout. He turned toward the sound readying his axe to see who, or what, was here. It was at that moment, when he saw the strange tent and the man in armour outside it, that his left arm erupt in pain. A glance down showed the stately dwarf that the pain from a black arrow with filthy fletching that could have only come from an Ork.

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Even as Harry watched the dwarf look into the lake he saw one of those dark skinned things he had fought against when he had won the armour that he now wore. He watched the Ork, Eomund had told them what the things were named, lined an arrow up and pulled back on the string. "Hey, look out!" Harry yelled, hoping the dwarf heard him.

Harry watched the small being turn and it was lucky he did as the arrow that had been aimed at his unprotected back struck him in the arm instead, painful but a much less serious, or deadly, injury. Harry's yell also woke the others in the tent who came at wands at the ready to see the lone Ork that had already loosed an arrow joined but dozens of its fellows.

He had started for the dwarf unthinkingly as soon as he'd seen it shot. The additional opponents coming into view, and thus blocking the Hogwartians inside the valley, made him realize that this was not going to be an easy win to subdue the creatures. He pulled the Elder wand from the holster at his side and held it at the ready moving his first wand to his off hand to be ready.

With the stronger wand he was already moving to curse the first Ork while simultaneously he used his left hand to conjure arrows like Ron had taught him to fire into the now swarming creatures. By the time he had caught up to the dwarf he was wielding a massive axe his right arm to fend off the closest Orks while his left arm was held useless at his side. Harry brought himself short before he in turn was hurt by the wild swings of the dwarf's axe. "Wow, hold on," he said, "I'm trying to help you here." Harry suited action to what he said and began moving his wands in unison to cast an identical spell from each of them to stop the Orks.

"Merlin, Harry, doesn't your saving people thing ever quit?" yelled Hermione. She and Flitwick were running up from the tent at the tails of Ron and Bill as they raced up toward Harry.

"You wish to help, wizard? Then stop the Orks!" bellowed the dwarf as he swung the massive axe into the skull of an oncoming Ork.

The others had caught up to them then and the combination of six wands enabled them to push back the Orks and leave them all alone with the dwarf Harry had first seen. At that he turned to Harry first and started to bow before abruptly stopping the attempt with a wince. "Ah, Balin son of Fundin, Lord of Moria, at your service. Who might I be thanking?" he said.

Harry looked a bit funny at the declaration as Eomund had also identified himself by his father's name. Harry had started to introduce himself when Flitwick cut him off first, "I am Filius of Flitwick. My companions are William, Ronald, and Ginerva of Weasley, Hermione of Granger, and Harry of Potter, all of them my students. Perhaps we could discuss this out of the open where your arm can be looked at?" Flitwick gestured to each of the Hogwartians in turn and then finally at the Orks still attempting to make their way up the slope held back only by the quick spells that Bill had put up. Even with the spells, there were enough Orks to simply go around them; the Orcs were marching around in fact to the south right toward the campsite where the animals were still picketed next to the tent.

"Through yonder gate," agreed Balin already turning to lead the way. As he walked he tossed the axe up so that it rested over his shoulder, the head leaned against his helm, and could be more easily carried with one hand. "My kinsman will welcome all who lend service against the Rakhâs," he continued.

"Kreacher," called Harry before being answered with the pop of the small elf's appearance, "Save what you can and cut the animals loose, we don't them slaughtered." Harry climbed up with the others to the massive door carved into the very rock of the mountain. His only thought upon entering it was quite similar to those of his companions being variations of surprise and awe at the scale and detail in the workmanship that had gone into everything they could see.

There enjoyment of the beauty and artistry were cut short however by the Orks once again coming after the group, coming up the same river they had followed to get here. Ron had looked back and seen the tent being trampled with swarms headed over it. Thankfully the Thestrals had been cut loose and while it looked to him like they had attempted to obediently stay put, he knew that even a trained animal will flee in fear given enough provocation. He turned to his eldest brother apologetically, "Hey Bill, sorry about your tent. I don't think it'll be usable anymore," he said.

As he had been joking with his brother, Hermione waved her wand in a complicated manner conjuring massive blocks of marble to block off the door. She knew that the Orks that had been coming wouldn't be stopped by even these massive doors. She was dropping the third block when she heard the sound of running feet and voices.

Two dwarves were running across the bridge providing the only other entrance to the room the recent escapees were now standing in. "Balin," cried the green bearded dwarf, "What happened? Who are these people?"

Balin introduced the loud one as Frar and the other as Ori. He assigned Frar to watch the to the east gate and provide a warning if anything got through, in his mind if the stone holding the door could appear from nowhere it could just as easily disappear. He and Ori on the other hand, guided the Hogwartians to his throne room.

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_November 11, TA 2994 Chamber of Mazarbul, Khazad-dûm_

When Balin returned he was greeted with both a berating for his leaving alone to go out to Kheled-zâram and joy at his safe return. The most prominent emotion expressed by his people was the confusion at the presence of the Hogwartians. That feeling only partially evaporated with the explanation of their help both to save him from the Orks and blocking off of the East gate to keep them out.

The Hogwartians were forced to stay all day and the night with the dwarves. It had been interesting trying to mesh the two cultural differences especially as the dwarves planned on leaving the gate blocked off and waiting out the Orks as they never carried adequate food with them and there was none in the valley to support that many beings for a long period.

Chana Groinsdottir was the one to get closest to the wizards, specifically to the one that almost looked like he could be Khazad. Other than her Balin himself was the only one that seemed to accept their presence as anything more than an annoyance. Indeed, when it came time for meals they were lucky that Hermione had grabbed her beaded bag of supplies and Kreacher had gotten back to them to prepare food as none of the other dwarves were keen on sharing their limited supplies.

It was only little more than a full thirty hours of the two groups residing together that a voice came echoing down the long corridor over the sound of crashing and shouts with the faint whoosh of flames behind it all, "They've broken it. There in!" The voice sounded like guard that had relieved Regin in watching the gate.

No one was left in the Chamber as everyone headed out to the fight to hold the Orks from crossing the Bridge of Khazad-dûm. Balin though injured, had bandaged the wound and adapted to only limited use of the arm. He wore his silver helm over the Mithril coat that had been found in the halls; like when he had first met Harry he carried Durin's Axe solely in his right hand.

Along with him followed nearly all of the remaining dwarves of his colony and the six wizards he had met outside. Where that creature that had come in with him had gotten to he had no idea but so long as the wizard's could control it and could stop the damnable, filthy creatures, he didn't particularly care.

He arrived in the second hall in time to see Regin fall. Judging by the number of arrows buried in his body and the fact that he still fought until the swing of an Ork's axe implanted it though his braids and into his head. In retaliation the Lord of Moria charged across the bridge to the first hall, swinging his axe at the closest targets he could find.

Harry meanwhile put on his cloak hiding himself from view while drawing his sword in his right hand and kept his wand ready in his off hand. A quick disillusionment charm and he was now nearly impossible to find by anyone. He walked through the gaps left between people and with the sword he was taking out the Orks unseen before moving on. When they were too far off he used his wand; _sectumsepra_ provided much the same results and after witnessing the brutality of the creatures he didn't feel guilty at all about his use of dark magic against them.

Ron and Hermione had been working in tandem from the second hall taking pot shots across the fissure when it became more than Orks were coming. A troll had crossed the bridge and due to its enormity cleared a path toward the remaining visible parts of the golden trio.

"Shit, Hermione it's a troll!" yelled Ron. He turned his attention to beast that had made him yell and cast curses as fast as he could but they all bounced from its skin diffusing into useless wild magic with no results to the troll. It raised it hammer over his head and swung straight toward Ron.

Ron was scared out of his mind this thing was massive and made both the trolls he'd seen in his life look like runts in comparison. As the hammer came down he froze and couldn't think of what to do. The only consolation to it he could see was that at least he wouldn't see Hermione die.

Hermione meanwhile was thinking furiously; trying to remember what spells she had read that were effective through the tough skin of a troll with its natural magical resistance. She watched Ron's spells hit the troll and rebound uselessly. The trolls arm raised with its hammer at the ready aimed to come down on her boyfriend's head. That's when she remembered her first year. Ron and Harry had come to tell her about troll loose in the castle and ended up saving her from a mountain troll. She screamed coping Ron himself and cast the simple spell they had learned all those years ago in Charms.

The troll's forward swing with the hammer combined with the spell from Hermione threw it forward into the wall causing her to lose control of the spell. The giant hammer fell free and down into the abyss spanned by the bridge. The troll meanwhile continued his overhand swing and struck the ground with its now empty hand a few feet in front of Ron.

The impact woke Ron from his resigned daze. When the troll opened it mouth to roar Ron cast a banishment charm on the troll's armoured head in hopes that it was not resistant to the spells as the troll itself. His idea worked and the troll was indeed affected much more by the indirect hit than any of those that tried to directly damage the troll's body. Its head was thrown back pulling the body after it, over the edge and into the fiery chasm falling away. As soon as the two were sure the threat from the troll was gone the two threw themselves together lips locked as they kissed in the midst of the battle.

"Do you two song during every fight?!" yelled Ginny as she continued cursing the Orks that had followed the troll's path across the bridge.

The dwarves meanwhile were destroying the Orks that invaded their ancestral home. The few that that had crossed before the dwarven reinforcements arrived had been rapidly dispatched. Similarly, the troll that had led the smaller creatures across had been dispatched with no casualties and the defenders were doing quite well against their opponents.

This, of course, couldn't last forever; a flash of fire rose from the gap between the first and second halls. The Orks reacted to it first yelling and retreating back from the gap with yells of "ghâsh" and stampeding over themselves to escape.

At first the defenders had thought it was a good thing that the Orks were retreating from them. Then the hand of the beast rose into view climbing from its hidden cave. The dwarves recognized and named it as Durin's Bane.

Shadow was its cloak, and fire its weapon as it rose in the first hall; it stood taller even then the trolls which had been in the earlier fight. Its whip came out and struck at the assemblage before it was blocked and wrapped around something invisible before it could strike the dwarfs. The roar that came from its maw was like an earthquake, coming in waves of devastation that passed through the body.

It was Harry that had caught the whip on his disillusioned sword. As the thongs of fire enveloped the sword Harry began casting at Durin's Bane. One, two, three spells left his wand and three spells struck the demon in its chest. Nothing happened. There was no effect from any of Harry's spells it was like they were merely absorbed into the molten body of his opponent.

The demon responded with a tug of its whip ripping it from Harry's hand and into the blackened paw of the Balrog's open hand. Its hand closed around as it came back to him bending and melting the metal as if it were butter in the warm sun. At that point a battery of spells came in to strike the Balrog.

The dwarfs were unequipped to handle the beast but the Hogwartians at least had some magic to match it on their side. There were a variety of different spell effects that came in, an attempt at transfiguration, a general dark creature banisher, an overpowered stunner, _glacius_, and a flame freezing charm. It was the last spell, from Hermione, that had the most effect. In truth it had the only effect as the others were swallowed up like Harry's had been to no effect. Though it wasn't a visible change the flame freezing charm removed the heat from the Balrog and its weapon removing a good portion of its power.

Harry meanwhile summoned Gryffindor's sword from where it still sat at Ron's hip. The destruction of his own sword was mildly disappointing but in truth irrelevant as fighting these Orks had been the only time he'd used it outside of practice. Harry ran to the Balrog, the glittering and jewelled weapon appearing to bounce through the air. It rose high and stabbed forward into the Balrog's leg; Harry wanted to try a physical attack since all the magical ones had apparently failed.

The silver of the blade dove between the dark crusts of the skin of Durin's Bane into its molten centre. As the sword went in the Balrog roared, whether in pain or rage none could tell, and struck out at the irritation at its feet. Its empty hand came forward in a fist and hit Harry's entire body.

He was unconscious almost immediately miraculously maintaining his grip on the sword long enough that it was still in his hand as he flew back across the gap sliding to a stop in front of Flitwick and Oin.

Balin had hoped with the wizard's on his side they could stop Durin's Bane. The demon seemed to at least retreat with what Harry had done but that hardly helped when the Orks came back in lead by a trio of trolls. "Retreat! Pull back to Zelem-melek!" called Balin.

The others obeyed his commanded, even the remaining Hogwartians, though Harry and two dwarfs were grabbed from where they were fallen. Bill lifted over his shoulder putting a shield up as they ran for the door falling back a chamber. As he was running back he saw one of the dwarfs, he couldn't remember the name of them all, pick of the sword Harry had dropped and say something about it being amazing a sword of pure mithril, clearly the work of dwarven smiths

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_Late November 11, TA 2994 Chamber of Mazarbul, Khazad-dûm_

"We must leave. We cannot hold against the Rakhâs, there are too many; the East Gate has fallen," stated Balin.

"Aye, but how to leave?" asked Nali, "There is a small army of Orks waiting in Azanulbizar and that's even if we can fight through the First and Second Halls."

Oin stood and broke in, "The Hollin Gate. When we first cleared the hall, I went to the armouries in the Third Deep. The path to the Western gate is open and we can get out that way."

"Oin, go check that gate we're leaving we have to abandon Khazad-dûm; take Falar, Galar, Lofar, and Grer," ordered Balin.

"I'll go with you," said Ron, "We need to get out of here, too." When Hermione looked like she was going to object he continued, "No, you need to stay here and help Harry; you're the best of us with healing spells."

The six 'volunteers' went out to check the viability of the Hollin Gate to see if they were truly trapped in Moria. It was more than a day's journey to get there but with the help of the dwarves it wasn't difficult. Closer to the east where the others waited for the answer from their search Bill and Flitwick had worked together to set up the strongest wards they could and continued to prepare them at each of the chambers that they might need to fall back to.

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_November 13, TA 2994 Hollin Gate, Khazad-dûm _

Oin led his fellows and Ron to the far side of the Dwarven Kingdom and through to the west gate. Though it was hidden and hard to find from the outside it was fairly visible to any on the inside of the mountain. They pushed on it swung the halves of the door open only to find that it opened up to a lake. The water trickled through the gap onto the feet of the six surprised and tired people.

"Well then," began Oin, "I'll head out first and make sure that it's passable along the rocks to the grass." He pulled his boots and trousers off and held them over his head as he walked sideways, his back against the wall of rock.

As soon as Oin's foot had first stepped into the pond, the ripples speeding out to far side, a swirling began in under the dark water. He had gotten around twenty feet out when a tentacle rose over the surface speeding for the dwarf armed only with his shoes to protect himself.

Ron noticed first and nonchalantly pointed it out to the others, "Oh hey, I didn't realize there was a Giant Squid here. We have one in the Black Lake at Hogwarts."

As he was talking the tentacle wrapped around Oin's leg and pulled him up into the air by his ankle. He was hung over the centre of the lake. "It's the Watcher!" shouted Falar as he and his brother Galar ran into the water to try and save their kin and in turn were grabbed by two more of the tentacles that came out flailing over the water.

Ron was shocked that what he had thought was like the Giant Squid was attacking the dwarfs. Rather indecisively he stood there waffling over his choices. Oin was just over what could only be the gullet of the creature, this Watcher, when he again cast a _glacius _charm this time at the water. Unlike the failed attempt against the Balrog this time the spell worked especially as he cast it repeatedly at different point of the water.

The series of spells resulted in two immediately beneficial effects. Firstly, the surface of the water becoming ice was that when Oin was dropped into the water instead of falling in to an animal's mouth, he instead dropper ten feet onto solid ice. The second immediate effect was that the limbs above water were all bound in the ice that was rapidly formed around them.

Falar and Galar were still held by the feeler which tightened around them. Their screams made Grer and Lofar race out across the ice that Ron was still forming to stop more tentacles coming out, to hack at the two holding the two brothers. The work of their axes released their two trapped kin. With the two of them free and Ron keeping the water frozen and holding the Watcher's limbs steady, Falar joined in their joyful hacking. It was only a short time that the beast was completely dismembered bleeding across the now solid surface of the lake.

Ron had managed to freeze the entire surface of the lake and over a foot deep. The ice was solid enough that the five of the gathered on it having finally defeated the creature. The way out the west side of Khazad-dûm was open and the others could follow them to escape. A Patronus message from Ron to his sister passed it along and the return informed him that Harry was conscious again though Hermione use of bone knitting charms was getting plenty of practice on his body.

All told there were only thirteen of the originally thirty-four dwarfs that managed to make it out of the ill fated trip to attempt to recolonise Khazad-dûm. The five that had first scouted the exit were joined by the surviving members of the sometime royal family of Moria, Balin and his son Burin. Oin and Chana the children of Groin son of Farin and their maternal cousins Frar, Loni, and Nali were some of the last in the mountain, leaving only the scribe Ori, who had accompanied Balin and Oin to recapture Eriador for Smaug.

The twenty of them were forced to travel in a much longer route than anyone had wanted or expected south through Dunland and around both the mountains and Fangorn forest to return to Hogwarts. Along their travels Flitwick and Chana seemed to get rather friendly so much so that by the time the party stopped at Hogwarts on the way back to the Lonely Mountain she had decided to stay with him. This relationship in combination with Balin's pride convinced all of the other descendents of Farin to stay with her in turn convincing the last nine of their party to stay. The thirteen of them moved into the dungeons of the castle carving a home for themselves mining the iron deposits from under the area and manufacturing the necessary metalwork for the fledgling community.

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AN: I think the chapter itself answers all of the questions I've gotten from you except for those about the Galadrim. I couldn't find a way to make it appear in this chapter and thus I think there will be a bit of a blurb in the next as well as a couple of things y'all have been looking forward to, or least expecting even if you aren't anxious. As always please REVIEW and out of curiosity did anyone see Balin's colony going to Hogwarts?


	9. The Istar Comes

"Westron/English"

[Other Language/Sindarin/Khuzdul/Parseltongue/etc.]

Chapter 9

_April 12 TA 2995 A field north of Hogwarts_

Just over three months after the return to Hogwarts most of the wizards were gathered together again. The group was only missing their short professor but made up for it with sheer number of the rest of the Weasleys, as well as Andromeda, Narcissa, Draco, and a few assorted other family friends. It was Teddy's third birthday and while he was no longer the only child of the Hogwartians there were only three others and thus he was still plenty spoiled. He wasn't a bad kid, he didn't often throw a temper tantrum or scream and kick, but when he wanted something he was more than likely going to get it from someone as long as it was actually available.

That idea of getting his way was the reason behind the little boy sitting in the grass in front of a piece of cake that was almost as big as his head. While the adults tried to keep some semblance of order to his inhaling the treat, the fork was used as no more than a guide to help his fingers shovel faster. His immediate interest was so fixated on his sweet food that he didn't notice the attention that the other were swiftly diverting from him to the grey cloaked figure that was approaching in the distance.

McGonagall was the first to spot the person and looking across the gap she gasped, "Albus?!" Her exclamation made the others turn to either her questioningly or to follow her gaze and thus see the same impossibility she had. Albus Dumbledore would never where such plain and bland clothes. Of course there was also the mild difficulty of seeing him alive when everyone knew very well he had died years ago, his tomb on the other side of the castle.

"Andi!" called Harry, "A few of us are going to go check this out; you got Teddy." Her acknowledgement was the signal for them to be off. Ron and Hermione were at his side like always but it was welcome addition to have Ginny flying out ahead in her Robin form to scout ahead.

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_April 10 TA 2995 Lothlorien_

[Mithrandir, it has been too long,] welcomed Celeborn, his arm held up to gesture the wizard forward. [We are in need of your advice of late. We hope with your aid we can resolve a discussion that has been plaguing us since late autumn.]

[I would be of service in any way possible, my lord Celeborn,] Gandalf answered. It was his appointed mission after all to assist all the free peoples of middle earth. The individuals before were even more reason to assist as they were some of the wisest people he knew and two of the few people he could truly call a friend.

Galadriel strode forward, [Do you remember the meeting of the White Council last summer? I spoke of the strange vision I had been given in my mirror. The destruction of one of the nine was not well received, nor believed by all; however I have seen, in this world, the man that did it. Indeed, the deed is done, and has been since ever I first witnessed it in the mirror.]

[I see, and where I might I find this man?] asked Gandalf. [It is not often that men are welcomed into the Golden Wood.]

[Nay, and I would not do so again,] said Celeborn gruffly. [He is of your kin, Olorin; though his staff is only the length of a forearm. My guards detained what appeared to be five men and a dwarf travelling with some strange creatures that have not been seen in this world.]

The three stayed in private discussion going over these strange wizards and Celeborn who was particularly unhappy with the smallest of them, both the dwarf and the abomination that dared name itself one of the Eldar. His wife was recognized as wise and he could admit she knew things that would have been impossible for most to find out, but he refused to believe that that beast was any form of an Elf, especially since it had thrown his men the platform without touching them. If the wardens of Lorien had been any less skilful there would have been more damage inflict by their fall. As it was the worst injuries were treatable being merely broken bones and massive bruising as opposed to the expect fatality, but such is the skill and reactions of the firstborn.

[The last one I spoke to, the one with the emerald eyes, wore the armour of Númenór, from before the fall. He must have taken it one of the Nazgûl, there is no other explanation as those artefacts have become rare even among the descendents of the Faithful. Elrond holds Narsil, the Palantiri are all but lost, more was lost in the downfall of Arnor and more recently with Earnur's foolish challenge of the Witch-King,] ranted the frustrated queen.

Gandalf in his vaunted wisdom knew not to disagree with an angry female. [I can fault your assumptions, my Lady. Now Lord Celeborn, you said they fled this wood after their miraculous escape?]

[Aye, and it is well that they did, for if any in their foolishness again seek entrance to this realm, the ground might run red,] answered the proud lord. At Gandalf's look he continued with more relevant information, [The Marchwardens on the north western border saw them following the Celebrant to the Mountains. If I had to guess I would venture that the dwarf led them into The Abyss. Though it is likely a false hope, perhaps the evil awoken by Durin might remove their foolishness from Middle Earth.]

[My lord husband speaks in anger.] interrupted the elf lord's wife, [We know they are no ally if The Enemy, else they'd not have slain one of the nine. Though, they did appear to be headed for The Abyss I think it likely that it was only a convenient escape from our realm. They arrived from the south; I believe they live among, or at least near, the Horse-lords.]

[Then it seems my duty leads me to head south, if nought else I might ask Théoden if he has heard rumours of this people in his land.] replied Gandalf in finality.

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_April 12 TA 2995 A field north of Hogwarts_

Ginny flew off ahead of the other three who approached slower due to having to actually walk the distance and not fly through the spring air. She flew near to the man and buzzing past on one side before turning around to fly back around his other side. Coming back toward the others she spread her wings wide to bleed off her speed and landed on a bush not far in front of the approaching man. His resemblance to the deceased headmaster was rather uncanny and yet clearly they were different people who merely seemed to share very similar grooming styles of their long, white hair and beards.

As he approached, the man smiled at her as if he knew she was more than a normal bird, though she supposed her approach to watch him was rather abnormal for a simple robin to take unless defending a nest. "That was a rather impressive flight," he said, "I am called Gandalf; might I have the name of one so skilled as you, young robin?"

Ginny was rather unhappy she'd been made and took flight again, even as he asked his question. She headed back to the other three in a furious zigzag pattern attempting to make herself a rather unhelpful target if her were to attack somehow.

She landed in front of the others and knowing it didn't matter she changed back without bothering to hide from his view. "He knew I wasn't a normal bird. As soon as I'd landed in the bush he had started talking to me," she announced eliciting a groan from her brother and nods from the other two. "Good news though," she continued in a brighter tone, "I didn't see a weapon so I don't think he's actually a threat to us, just an old man that knows too much."

Harry sighed, "Alright, well that's good, let's go meet the Dumbeldore-wanna-be, yeah?"

"He said his name was Gandalf. It seems familiar, but I can't remember where I've heard that before." Ginny replied.

"Honestly, you can be as bad as the boys, Ginny," said Hermione exasperatedly. "Remember the story that Balin and Ori told us? The one that completely fed up Ollivander because the dragon was left rotting in the lake and there were no more to harvest parts from?" At the blanks looks from the others she explained, "Gandalf the Grey was the name of the wizard that travelled with them!"

Hermione's rather hurried explanation was cut off as they were now within hailing distance of the suspected wizard, who now seemed much less of a harmless old man. "Hullo again, Miss Robin. Might now be a better time to speak with you?" called Gandalf.

"Miss Robin?" whispered Ginny indignantly, "That's worse than Ginerva!"

"Hello to you, too, sir." said Hermione; she was the only one of the four with the ability currently to answer politely. Ginny was irritated by the stupid name she'd gained, the Ron was teasing her for currently, while Harry was annoyed at having to leave Teddy's birthday party since he already missed Christmas with him.

The four stopped as the Istar finally was close enough to speak without shouting. Gandalf leaned on staff increasing the image of him as a helpless old man. "Sirs, madams, as I told your friend," he nodded toward Ginny, "My name is Gandalf; Gandalf the Grey I am called."

"So we've heard." Confirmed Harry. "Out of idle curiosity, would you happen to be the same Gandalf the Grey that went to the Lonely Mountain?"

Now Gandalf had thought himself to hold all the relevant information here as he recognized Harry and his friends from Celeborn and Galadriel's descriptions, but this statement surprised him. Not many outside of Erebor and the Shire knew of his personal involvement in that quest and all of them were either on or associates of the White Council. These four clearly were not part of that council. "I was indeed a part of that venture; how did you come to hear of it?" he asked with genuine curiosity.

"Ah, now that'd be telling, wouldn't it?" smirked Ron.

Hermione smacked him across the back of his with an open hand rebuked him, "Ronald, show some respect!"

Ron ducked down to avoid another hit "Alright, alright, 'Mione." He turned back to the wizened man in front of them, "Balin told us, and Ori and Oin. They're back at the castle."

"Wonderful, I had no idea that the Longbeards had moved this far south," announced Gandalf, "It is always good to see old friends."

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_April 12 TA 2995 Hogwarts_

The four of them had lead the wizard south to the castle and met with a good portion of the Wizengamot as well as Balin and Ori who had come up from the dungeons where the Dwarfs had begun carving a home out of the living rock below the castle. Draco and Neville had each met them as they came in as well as McGonagall and Flitwick joining them as they came back past Teddy's birthday party.

"Well met, Balin son of Fundin; I had heard you we here." Gandalf greeted when he came into the meeting room, "Your people have made impressive work on the castle already, I recognize the work of dwarfs of Erebor; you're really quite skilled."

"Many thanks, Gandalf. You always do seem to pop up when something is happening about," came his response.

The meet and greet sort of response was over and now it was down to business the true reason that Gandalf had come to them. "Now, I am given to understand that you are all, with the notable but obvious exceptions of Balin and Ori, wizards. Is that indeed the case?" he asked.

McGonagall cleared her throat, "Clearly, we are not all wizards." She gestured at herself. When he only looked at her confusedly she continued, "Do you mean to tell me that in your decades on this earth you have not learned the difference between men and women? I am clearly a witch!"

Gandalf eyes widened in understanding finally, "Ah, I see. Our usage of the word must differ I am afraid as to me the term _witch_ does not confer gender but the use of dark powers. But our differing meanings aside, what I meant to ask, was that you all or a significant majority of you can indeed use what is called magic?"

McGonagall rolled her eyes and let someone else answer the geezer. Obviously, long white beards on a wizard came with the ability to be absolutely infuriating; after all, Albus most definitely could be when he tried.

"Indeed we can," answered Flitwick, "This was castle was built and operated for over a thousand as the finest school of Witchcraft and Wizardry."

"Well, you will be happy to hear," commented the Maia, "That this castle is still the finest place to learn wizardry in Middle Earth as there are no others. Let us hope that Witchcraft as I have learned can fail to be taught anywhere and leave you with a monopoly in it as well."

Finally learning what they had suspected for a few years, that they were alone in this world and there were no others like them, was not the happiest of things for the Hogwartians present. It was their fallen look and sombre, accepting attitude that clued Gandalf into there being more to the story and gave him a small opening to find out about why. Harry explained about the battle and how the castle itself had been cursed before the miraculous arrival in Middle Earth, even about the subsequent exploration. Needless to say, Gandalf found it an interesting tale, even if the young man was not the best story teller to be had. The dwarfs too were hearing this for the first time and equally enthralled in the short explanation.

"And that's when Lucius came and told us about the forest that felt wrong so we sent a group to check and report back what was found," continued Harry.

"This was Lothlorien, the wood to the North?" interrupted Gandalf.

The younger man fell silent and looked at him oddly before answering, "No, this was almost two years ago. What was the place called again, Hermione?"

"Dol Guldur," came the witch's flat reply. It was not a memory she like reliving, though admittedly she had seen worse at Malfoy Manor.

The answer spawned a coughing fit from Gandalf and outburst from Balin, "You went to the Hill of Dark Sorcery? It is little wonder you attempted to repel Durin's Bane!"

"The Hill of Dark Sorcery?" asked Harry.

"That it is the literal translation of the name, Dol Guldur. It is a place of great evil; a stronghold of The Enemy," explained Gandalf patiently.

"Oh, yeah it seems apt, I guess." Harry commented as he scratched he scratched his head thinking on it. He continued to explain and would have brushed over the fight in a few words if Gandalf hadn't interrupted again, "The three beings led the ones you fought, they were robed in dark cloth and were both dead and alive?"

"Um, I felt more like neither dead or alive sort of like in the middle," explained Harry, "Anyway, we scared them of long enough to get back the animals and get away, killed one of them even."

"How did you kill one of them?" Gandalf asked excitedly, "They have long been the strongest of The Enemy's captains unable to die and leave his service."

Ron chuckled, "Same way Harry takes on anything, a wand in its face."

Harry sighed, Ron was his best mate so of course he'd make fun of him for doing the stupid hero the stupid hero thing to save Lucius bloody Malfoy. "Not really," he defended, "It was going for one of the men that come with us so I got in the way and that place where its face should have been looked open so I just lit it on fire."

"Wand in face; what'd I tell you." Laughed Ron.

Gandalf seemed wide eyed as he muttered to himself saying things like, "Fire has long been known to be a weakness." or "Just lit it on fire?". He was no longer listening to what was said around him and stayed lost in thought until he was nudged by Ginny who was closest.

"Ah, Gandalf?" she asked, "You okay?"

The old wizard came back to life at her touch, "Ah yes, forgive me. The thought of them seeming to be destroyed so simply just seems to run against all that I know about them." He stayed to discuss much of the regional happening with them. He told of the stirrings of things from the survival of the elves to Radagast's news of an increase in Giant Spiders in recent years. In turn the others told him more of their news from the Dwarf's bragging of rescued treasures from Moria and its late reabandonment to Draco speaking of his father out even now building a stronger economy throughout Rohan.

The most important news given to them was actually brought up when Gandalf noticed the resurrection stone on Harry's hand. The elder wizard gripped his staff tighter in his hand, "Harry, please tell me you did not get that from the Nazgûl you destroyed?" he asked worriedly pointing at the ring.

The young man looked down at his hand and the old ring set with a scratched black stone. "This? No it was a gift, from my old mentor." Harry laughed to try and avoiding speaking about the hallow, "Actually, the man that left it to me looked quite a bit like you long white beard and all."

Relieved, Gandalf allowed the conversation to drift away from serious topics again and wrongly assumed that the magical firer Harry had made would have burnt up the ring. Though given that Harry assured he'd recovered everything that was left, and there was no ring, Gandalf had little other recourse then to think it either destroyed or somehow recalled to Sauron in a way that even the one could not be.

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_April 15 TA 2995 Hogwarts_

Gandalf was still puttering about both the castle and village learning about and teaching about Middle Earth, a fact that Hermione seemed infatuated with. Harry put that out of his head however, today was about just Ginny and him and no one else. His hand dug in his pocket, fingering the ring that Oin had made for him a week ago. Harry had taken him one of the galleons he had left and melted it down to be beaten into a ring. It was set with an emerald he stolen from a snake carving in the door in Chamber of Secrets, though he didn't think he'd be admitting that to Ginny any time soon.

They had spent the afternoon flying over the meadows to the east, laughing and enjoying each other's company. As it got later Harry had guided them back the edge of the lake and set out a picnic he had prepared beforehand hoping that he could add a bit of romance to the moment. He spread a blanket out and made her sit while he prepared everything for her.

Everything he was pulling out came from a bag small enough to fit in his pocket but with an undetectable expansion charm to hold everything each with a stasis charm to keep it as fresh as when Harry had made it this morning. Out came a chopped salad, bowtie pasta bathed in an alfredo sauce with shrimp and lastly a bowl of warm chocolate to dip strawberries in. To drink he couldn't very well stick with water or pumpkin juice, even tea would have been a letdown. He had mentioned his plan to Andromeda in front of Slughorn who had left and come back quickly with bottle of the finest elf win he had left in his chambers.

When they had finished the meal and were working their way through the strawberries as the lake burned red and orange with the reflected sunlight he reached into his pocket once more and downed his glass of wine. Pulling out the ring he knelt on one knee in front of the love of his life. "Ginerva Molly Weasley, would you do me the honour of marrying me?" he asked quietly as he presented the ring to her.

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ANs: Sorry all that it took so long to get this up. I had the double whammy of having to start writing my thesis for my MA as well as muse deciding to vanish.

Peyton: Yup, I have the story outlined to TA 3019 already and plan on doing an epilogue of sort after that to talk about what happens in the Fourth Age.

Mer: I couldn't find a place to put it but I imagined that once the dwarfs learned of owlpost they'd have written to their kin in the Lonely Mountain. As for more joining I'm not sure yet. Tell you what, I'll leave to the reader's for more dwarfs or not.

Albino87: I didn't have any plan for the dwarfs to find out about that and only included that admiration of Gryffindor's Sword to kinda through the reader that way so you could imagine it off screen. There is enough a time jump that I could imagine them being shocked and disbelieving about it before coming around to accepting it. As for Gondor, there are no plans to go to Gondor any time soon.

Just to throw it out there if any wants to write it, I'd be more than happy to see somebody's idea of what happened between leaving the Watcher and getting to Hogwarts. Fleur's reaction to them being two months late, Buckbeak coming back w/o them, traveling through Dunland, etc. Just make sure to send me a link to it and give some credit if you do.

And everyone please remember to Review, thanks!


	10. Red: The Colour of Desire

Chapter 10

_7 June, TA 2996 Great Hall, Hogwarts_

Today was the big day. He had waited over year from when he asked her and while some of the delays made sense, one did need to actually plan a wedding, he was still waiting. This time he was waiting at the front of the Great Hall, where the staff table normally sat, in front of a rather splendidly dressed Minerva McGonagall. Beside him stood Ron and Neville, two of his best mates; if he had to go through the torture of getting dressed up and looking like a bloody peacock he'd be damned if they didn't have the same arduous 'pleasure'.

The rows behind him were quite full even with the expansion charms out on the. Harry and Ginny had wanted to have a nice, quiet, and especially small wedding, however that didn't work out. It was near impossible to hide from the rest of Hogwarts or Hogsmead that they had become engaged and everyone expected to be invited. Thus the rather limited guest list the two had drawn up was added to and then expanded and at the end looked more like a census than a guest list. In fact Gandalf and Eomund had even come to the wedding. The former came out of curiosity, wondering about this race of wizards, while the latter came in hopes that it would continue the peaceable border between his nation and their city-state.

Dominic Maestro started the music going, cueing the guests to all finally find seats; thankfully, Hagrid recognized that the large seat was set aside especially for him. The front row on both sides of the aisle was reserved for family which Harry thought was a little strange since his side would be empty and look ridiculous, merely pointing out his orphan status to everyone but Ginny had insisted as it was apparently traditional. On Harry's right the Weasley's were gathered. He wasn't sure if it was on purpose or not but they had actually ordered themselves by age, Molly and Arthur, Bill and Fleur with little Dominique on her lap, Charlie and Ivan, Percy and his swollen wife Audrey, and finally George and Angelina.

On Harry's side however was a surprise. The only one with a decent claim to sit there was Teddy and that trouble magnet was conspicuously absent though his Grandmother was present. Andromeda refuse to allow the boy to live like he had no family and since she had lost hers they came together quite nicely she thought over her little grandson. Sitting with her was her sister's family Narcissa, Lucius, Draco and Astoria, apparently Lucius and Daphne were in talks about a betrothal betwixt the families.

Everyone was settled now and looking back to the doors from the Entrance Hall, where the bridal party would enter from. First came little Victoire her blond hair curled wonderfully around her face and done so that the light red highlights were easily visible. Her face lit up in delight at drawing everyone's eyes toward her and she walked in the Great Hall almost skipping as she tossed handfuls of flower petals out to create a trail behind her as she came to the front.

Following behind the flower girld were her bridesmaids Hermione and Luna. They both wore a dress that clearly bore Luna's input, it was a pale yellow sundress wrapped with an emerald belted sash that matched the brides and sandals that wouldn't have looked out of place on a seaside holiday. In their hands were two bouquets of flowers, not anything particularly impressive looking but to those that knew, the bouquet of wildflowers had a very special meaning to the groom because of the lilies featured prominently in them, the yellow spread from the lily's centre identically to the flowers the men wore, which made sense as it was only one flower that was magically duplicated so they'd all match.

Behind them came the bride; if the cute three-year-old had been the opening segment then Ginny was the main attraction. She wore a long white dress made completely of silk. The dress while not actually strapless left both straps hanging off her exposed shoulders and thus was effectively. She wore matching gloves that came up quite high on her arm to bunch past her elbow. Her waist was tied with a emerald green belt matching in colour to the groom and groomsmen's and vests and more importantly Harry's eyes. In her hands was another bouquet that by itself was roughly matching in size to Hermione and Luna's combined.

The last of the party to enter was the little boy done up to match Harry, he'd even made his eyes and hair match when he found out they'd be dressed the same. Harry's Godson came out following after the bridesmaids over the petal strewn aisle holding a cushion normally used to practice charms with in Flitwick's class. On the old pillow sat two small rings that Balin had personally overseen the work on, they were the dwarves gift to the couple and a way for Balin to again thank Harry individually for saving his life.

The party of five made their way single file up the path between the two crowds of people to the front where Harry was staring at his fiancé, his face rather comical looking. Luckily for him not many noticed as everyone else was blown away by Ginny as well. Victorie came to the front all smiles before she came rather daintily around to her parents and took the open space between them, as Bill stowed the snow empty basket under his seat to avoid her playing with it during the ceremony. The three women came up to take their spots mirroring the men so the six of the stood in a line before the assembly, Harry and Ginny facing each other before their one time head of house.

Harry didn't know quite why the thought struck him but seeing all the finished work the wedding party was wearing he was glad he had actually gone into the Forbidden Forest acromantula hunting. Of course this was only after Ginny had forced him to go get the needed silk.

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_Afternoon 17 August, TA 2995 Gryffindor Tower, Hogwarts_

Ginny had come to Harry's room in the tower to talk about the plans for their upcoming nuptials. Her idea of planning didn't seem to match with his though. "Harry you remember how you agreed to help with the plans?" she asked. His hesitant agreement and nod could be ignored due to her tone but she just kept going as if she hadn't noticed, "Good because this is how you can help. Parvarti and Lavender agreed to make my dress and the ones for Hermione and Luna. Dress robes aren't that hard so Mum, Fleur, and I will take care of you and the groomsmen. Do you see why we need your help now?" Her tone at the end made it seem as if it should be obvious to anyone with a brain.

Evidently, Harry was missing that particular organ, "So you want me to help sew the robes? Gin, I know I'm better at cooking and cleaning then most guys 'cause of the Dursley's but I never learned to sew. Aunt Petunia was probably convinced herself I'd try to stab them if she gave me a needle," he explained.

Partway through Harry's explanation she groaned and collapsed onto the nearest bed dropping her head into her hands. When he finished she sat up and tried again thinking it worse than when dealing with Teddy or Victorie. "Harry, we have the people to do the work and the tools to do it but we need someone, _you_, to get the material. I am not getting married in this bloody, rough spun hair!" She grabbed the front of the robe was currently wearing. It was made from the hair of Aberforth's goats and the predominant material for cloth available to the Hogwartians. Everything else was either came with them or was traded from the Eorlingas, and their cloth wasn't much better. "Harry, this is our wedding and I want to look nice. We don't have a lot available to us but the forest has plenty of spiders in it just go get the silk and we can make the cloth."

Now that Harry understood what she'd meant this whole time he did feel rather slow, it did seem obvious they'd need better material for the dress robes. "Right, makes sense," he smiled before to ask his next question, "Think I can get your brother to help with this?"

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_Dinner 17 August, TA 2995 Great Hall, Hogwarts_

"NO! _Absolutely_ not, Harry," yelled Ron, "I can't believe you want to do let alone try and get me to help."

"Come on," Harry pleaded, "Neville's going and even Luna and Rolf said they collect whatever they found in travels. It's not like you haven't gone and met them before."

Ron looked up shocked from the food he'd been devouring, "Look how that turned out," he said incredulously. "We don't even have the Anglia to help this time. For Merlin's sake, just tell my sister to get stuffed she doesn't need bloody Acromantula Silk."

Harry smirked, "You realize that could mean something completely different if I said it to her, right?"

Ron groaned and dropped his fork on the table, "I hate you, Harry." After a sort pause where Harry just smiled at his best mate Ron asked, "When do we head out for the stupid, buggering silk?"

"We can start tomorrow after an early breakfast. Ginny wants this stuff as soon as possible." He answered happily. With that taken care of he went to find a few more willing hands as he knew that even with Ron and Neville's help there was no way the three of them could survive walking into an acromantula nest.

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_17 August, TA 2995 Northeast Fangorn Forest near Hogwarts_

It ended up that there were six them heading into the forest. Charlie had overheard Ron complaining about the chore and gone to Ivan about it. Together the former dragon keepers went and volunteered to help Harry, giant spiders might not be as much fun to play with as massive fire breathing lizards but their better than having to just keep the farm animals they did normally. The last member of their impromptu company was Oin. Harry had gotten to know Oin better than most of the dwarfs on their travel from Khazad-dûm and asked him to help. Oin had agreed almost immediately and seemed rather glad for a reason to pick up his axe; that is he was glad until it was explained what an acromantula actually was and he found out they were looking for giant spiders in the forest.

"I'm telling you boys, I've fought the giant spiders in Mirkwood," explained Oin, "You don't need to be going to look for their trouble. If they're in this forest too, then we should just leave it well enough alone."

"I'm with him," called Ron from the other side of the group, "We should just head back to the castle and tell the girls they don't need it."

Charlie laughed and clapped him on the shoulder, "Come on ickle Ronnikins don't be scared now your big brother will keep you safe."

As the other wizards laughed Ron face started match his hair. He threw his brothers hand off and marched forward, farther into the gloom. His muttered, "Dirty wanker," was probably not meant to be heard but made Charlie laugh all the harder. The other five followed after him though Oin was still hesitant to enter, the trees seemed really oppressive to him, especially when he raised axe in preparation of facing a spider again.

That whole day they were out they didn't find one, nor the day after, nor the next. It was not until the sixth day they had gone out, a full week after Ginny had given his marching orders, that they came across any of the spiders. Oin had gotten to the point where the forest was bearable if still discomforting in its shadowed dreariness. As such he was the one on point, the others being able to easily see over his head as he walked in front of them, when the spiders came out to get them.

Despite their large size in proportion to the space between the trees the spiders seemed to be able to move through the forest easily and near silently at that. The only warning they gave to the group of wizards was a clicking that came from the one side and then suddenly Oin had pincers on either side of him as the hairs legs attached to those legs made to carry him deeper into the forest to the southwest.

The five wizards sprang into action spell fire shooting off at the acromantula holding the dwarf as well as its fellows that had been coming for the wizards themselves. Like his last encounter with the beasts the dancing leg spell was hilariously effective against the acromantula. With eight legs to be effected the acromantula affected were hopping every which way with very little control over their movement. They were only just able to retreat back toward their nest.

While Ron and Neville had heard Harry's account of his adventure into the forest soon after they had all arrived in middle earth and thus had copied the younger wizard's tactics, the elder two had fallen back on the spells they had once used for work at the Romanian dragon reserve. Between them Ivan and Charlie had managed to almost accidently drop a half dozen of the monsters. The overpowered spells designed for containing a dragon had a profound effect on the weaker acromantula. Charlie's spell, instead of merely making them short of breath and in the case of a dragon cutting of the ability to blow fire, cut of the spider's breathing completely, collapsing the lungs. Similarly, Ivan used a spell he had practiced a number of times to stun a dragon and slow its reaction, against the acromantula it instead it immediately collapsed into unconsciousness.

Oin meanwhile had unhooked his axe and put it to use against his captor. Even a massive acromantula takes notice when an axe comes crashing down into the exoskeleton. He managed through shear stubborn relentlessness to hack through the chitin and scrambling the internal organs. The slow death of the spider in turn left it able to pump the dwarf with venom and in turn pull the tenacious little being with it into the afterlife.

Since the dragon trainers and dwarf had managed to kill so many of the acromantula that they had intended to follow back to the nest, the group was lucky that four of them had managed to dance away, hopefully in a retreat toward their nest. Ron ran toward the fallen member of their party pulling a bezoar from his pocket as he went. "Come on Oin, hold on," he said. Ever since Harry had used one to save his life way back in sixth year he had tried to keep him on his person just in case.

While the bezoar took care of the venom flowing through the dwarf's body the armour he wore thankfully stopped the majority of the physical damage and kept mobile if not completely safe. The mail and leather he wore bore only a small hole in it that had admitted the spider's pincer.

The escaping spiders' were all under the influence of the dancing jinx and were quite easy to track and they followed them deeper in the forest until they came across the nest. A dome of the silk they were looking for stretched between the trees before their eyes. Unfortunately this silk was covered in spiders both inside and out. It was now that Ivan and Charlie's spells came in handy and they began again to lay into the beasts.

Now, Ron began to use his favourite new spell, Hermione had taught him last night when he'd told her they were coming out to face the acromantulas. "Arania Exumai!" he yelled. The blue leapt from his wand at the nearest spider and threw it back into its fellows. Ron moved so that as he continued hitting the spider with the spell he would throw it back into another spider and thus take two spiders out, at least temporarily, with one spell.

Oin wasn't going to let himself get caught like he had been before. He took advantage of the spiders that Ron threw into trees and onto their backs and went after them one at a time to imbed his axe through the chitin and into the soft organs buried inside. Occasionally, it was a bit easier and he'd come up from the flank dodging around flailing legs to end the beast with a simple beheading.

Harry meanwhile moved to cover Oin and keep the spiders from getting on him as he took out those on the ground. It worked out wonderfully for the dwarf as the more he drew towards him by darting at them the more were knocked over for him to dart forward to.

It was Neville that had the hard job and the most dangerous. With his wand in one hand he was cutting away at the dome to fit as much as possible in the enchanted bag he held in his other hand. Unfortunately, the raw thread of the acromantula's web was nearly as resistant to magic as the finished silk. Thus, it took a few _diffindos_ before he was able to cut through anything. It took a few minutes before he was able get much but he slowly he managed to cut off a few feet at a time and levitate the resulting roll into the bag. As he went through he made sure to stay to the spots already cleared out so he wouldn't have to stop collecting to fight a single one of the spiders. "I think I got enough let's get out here," he called.

The six of them cut and ran at Neville's command. Oin struggled to keep up with them combination of his bruised ribs and his significantly shorter legs. He was however indignant when Charlie took pity on him and levitated him away and head of the retreating group as they made it back for the castle

_7 June, TA 2996 Great Hall, Hogwarts_

The ceremony had finished, Harry and Ginny were both the first in their years to be married. It was often the people of Hogwarts had either a chance or opportunity to as Minerva would say, let their hair down. As such it was a boisterous affair that had nearly everyone present especially with Seamus testing his newest version of Finnegan's Finest Firewhisky and due to that getting the dwarves quite happy with him.

The bride and groom went through the traditional receiving of guests. First through were their respective 'families' during which Teddy clung to Harry's leg and wouldn't let go him. The little boy's hair faded to blue before Harry realized how much staying with them really meant to the boy for some reason. "Okay, Teddy, you can stand over here next to me. Alright?" he asked.

The boy's whole face lit up and he again looked very much like a much younger version of Harry Potter with no scar. "Thank you! Thank you! Thank you, Harry!" he yelled.

"You have to be quiet though, Teddy. Be good or you'll come and sit down with me and the old people," joked Andromeda.

The three of them continued through the receiving line until they came across some of the guests to Hogwarts, Teddy getting obviously bored. Eomund stepped forward with a woman at his side holding a toddler and another little boy standing at his side looking around in wonder. "Congratulations, Harry Potter," he said with a nod, "As marriage is a family affair I brought with me my own. This is wife Theodwyn sister of the King and my children, Eomer and Eowyn." He gestured at each of them in turn as he introduced the three of them.

"It's wonderful to meet you," Harry said with a smile, "You know this is my wife Ginny and my Godson, Teddy." He glanced down to see Teddy actually taking an interest in them as there was actually someone his age to play with. The only person he knew near his age was Victorie and she was over a year younger and Eomer was older than Teddy.

"Well go on, Teddy," Harry nudged the boy off in Eomer's direction.

The line continued through and the night went rather well. Dinner had been provided and distributed, normal fare for Hogwarts but a shock to those that had never attended. The celebration continued to go well, despite the continued drinking providing plenty of memories to attempt to live down tomorrow, Millicent had been seen sneaking away with Grawp of all people, until George pulled the two boys aside. "Teddy! Teddy come here; bring your friend, too."

The two came over and George handed them each a small firework he'd had inside his robes. "Okay boys, you see Harry and Ginny? You see the goblets they have in front of them? I want you to drop those in their okay?"

Eomer just gave them both a confused look but Teddy had seen George's fireworks before and agreed eagerly dragging Eomer along with him. Teddy clamped his hand around the firework and hid behind his back, Eomer copying him still not understanding what he was asked to do but he'd been taught to obey his elders.

"Harry, Harry!" Teddy ran up the table that the wedding part sat at and when he reached the front he reached up before anyone could stop him. Down went the small firework and when it touched the water, up jumped a massive pair of bright red lips rapidly expanded over the newly married couple. With everyone looking up at the show Eomer caught up and dropped his own into Ginny's own water goblet.

From hers their came a pair of white rabbits, one with a bright bunch of red fur and another with a shock of black fur both between their ears like hair. The red rabbit hopped around the hall with the black one chasing it once before it was caught. The black rabbit jumped on its backs a thrust once before both exploded in a burst of sparks that spelled two simple words, "Have Fun". The only response this received, barring the widespread laughter, was two angry women yelling out in near tandem, "George Gideon Weasley!", "Edward Remus Lupin!".

* * *

ANs: Sorry this took for ever I had actually intended to have this up over a week ago, sorry. Good news however I got into the doctoral program in applied mathematics at Arizona State University! Obviously, I'm kinda excited about it. As for the story:

Peyton: I plan on this going through to the begining of the Fourth Age.

Mer: Gandalf and Albus, it would be interesting but I don't know how well I'd be able to write it. The portraits should be coming up soonish though next chapter or two I think, probably. But no Hobbits until they'd be coming down anyway with the Fellowship.

Next chapters introduces one of my favourite characters from one universe and a people from another that together should be rather awesome, hopefully. 10 points to anyone that guess the character or the people. As always read and review. Oh, and the chapter title let's see people guess that one, too!


	11. Black: The Colour of… Sirius?

Chapter 11

_16 Mar TA 2998 Hospital Wing, Hogwarts_

"Push!" the school nurse turned all purpose community healer, Poppy Pomfrey, called out again.

"Ah!" screamed Ginny rising to volumes that even her mother wasn't able to get to easily, "I am bloody pushing you useless witch!" The woman in labour turned to her husband, the man whose hand she wasn't currently attempting to turn into a diamond through shear pressure, and continued, "Harry James Potter this is your damned fau—ahhh!" she ended in another scream as she was hit by a contraction again.

The others in the room were doing everything they could to help her but in her pain it was obvious that Ginny couldn't exactly see that. Poppy and Sarah Wainscott were the only ones actually trained in medimagic in the entire community of wizards which was why it fell to the two of them to be the help all of the witches through their pregnancies. Molly Weasley had been through it herself often enough that she came in to assist as well and made up the third and final member of the team that Poppy had assembled for the pregnancies that were becoming more frequent now. It was a good thing she had started to train a few of the former students in more than simple first-aid so they could run the remainder of the Hospital Wing in the event that it was needed while she was busy helping to bring the newest Potter into the world. Though she didn't find out until later this was a good call as Lucius Malfoy stopped by looking for help, something about an Eye bothering him.

With a final scream the baby's head was followed by the rest of its body and the little thing finally was among the living. "It's a boy," announced Sarah, who was busily casting charms to cut the umbilical, clean the mess, etc.

Poppy was busy taking care of the young mother, Harry being so overwhelmed as to be almost useless at the moment, when Molly brought over her newest grandson. "Oh, Ginny look at all the wonderful dark hair," she cooed over his loud cries. She carefully handed over the baby to her own baby knowing that it should comfort both of them and give everyone's ears a well deserved break. "So Ginny, Harry, you wouldn't tell us before but what will you name him?"

"James," answered her daughter staring into the face of her rapidly calming son, "He's named James Sirius Potter."

"We decided that if it was a boy I got to pick the middle name and if a girl then Ginny picked, but the first names we agreed on my parents," explained Harry, still trying to massage feeling back into left hand.

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_7 June TA 2998 Vale of the Anduin River south of the Carrock_

Grimbeorn walked slowly along the row of bushes filling the basket he was carrying as he went. It was normally a job he left for his wife but as Beorg was extremely pregnant he made sure to get it done for her. In fact she was expect to give birth any day know, had been for the last week.

She had been the first person he met in their tribe. She'd found him unconscious and sliding down a snowy slope from the High Pass over the Misty Mountains. It was by her word that he was taken in and healed. When she had fallen for him and he finally took his head of his arse to realize it he was overjoyed. It had taken a few years to pull her father around to the arrangement as Beorn was a very stubborn man but two years ago an agreement had finally been reached. He'd had no family and Beorn wouldn't allow his daughter, the only child he'd had before his one wife was killed by the Goblins, to go off with a nameless, and in Beorn's eyes useless, lout. Thus two years ago he had become Grimbeorn and was taken as the man's son and heir after he had proved his worth in a skirmish with the Goblins to the tribe's west. It had only been a simple matter of turning defeat to victory and saving the lives of more than a goodly amount of the skin-changers that had given him worth in the tribe's eyes.

He looked up to see two of the friend's he had made here coming toward him from the direction of his father's house. It was interesting living in a people who took all manner of forms, but of anyone he could adapt to answering the wolf loping its way toward him as well as the falcon keeping paces overhead instead of the pair's human counterparts. It was fairly easy to recognize both Ulf and Arrin after everything they three had done; it was almost like having his brothers back.

Shutting down the direction his thoughts had been going he sighed and turned to fully toward them. "Here to help me get the rest of these?" he asked doubtfully as he watched Ulf change and Arrin come to land near them.

"Never!" joked Ulf, "You can keep doing all the work I'll just eat them." In keeping with what he said he picked off one of the berries and popped it in his mouth.

Meanwhile Arrin had changed back to his human form and ignore the smacks coming from Ulf explained. "It's taken long enough but your kid has finally decided it's time to grace us all with its presence," he joked. Both of them laughed at the man's rapidly widening eyes before Arrin gently took the basket from Grimbeorn's hands and continued. "Why don't I take this and finish with these and you and Ulf can head back to Beorn's? You need to be there for her." This last statement was the only the only one where there seemed to be any lack of levity but then all three of them knew how dangerous giving birth could be.

In an effort to keep the mood back up Ulf grabbed his shoulder. "Come, I'll get there first even if you have a head start," he challenged with a smile.

It was enough to get the dark haired man to smile again. "Sure you could," he said, "I'll have you know that I've been beating wolves since I was fifteen." With that he dropped to all fours and began pounding his now pawed feet into the soft earth along the bank to race back to his precious Beorg. Despite the importance of why he was running neither he nor Ulf could resist a few nips here or there or a bit of wrestling. Thus it was a rather muddy Grimbeorn that managed to name his newly born son after his uncle, pretty much the only family member he'd liked, or been liked by.

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_30 July TA 2998 Minerva McGonagall's Office, Hogwarts_

Since the Wizengamot meeting that would have been this evening had been delayed for tomorrow afternoon Minerva finally had time to sit down and work on that book on transfiguration specifically the dynamics of codimension four materials and their tendency to bifurcate when transfigured, she had done most of the work done and just needed to write it; she'd been planning for a while now. She shifted the material on her desk and realized that she still had quite a bit that had to do with her old position as a professor and Deputy Headmistress. Though many people in the community still referred to her by it she didn't feel it was very applicable when there wouldn't be any classes for a few years now.

The old teacher smiled at the idea of waiting for another class of students to come in, she rather liked the idea of a small class whose members she had known from birth. She reached into a drawer and pulled out the register used to identify the students so owls could be sent out. She flipped a few pages to get to the most recent section of names and ran her finger down the list thinking of each one.

Plot, Grigori Friedrich, '_Aurora's little boy is awfully sweet already.'_

Boot, Edgar Michael, '_I'm glad Susan remembered her father.'_

Bulstrode, Violetta Millicent, _'Here's hoping she's more like her uncle than her father.'_

Weasley, Molly Audrey II, _'It's rather funny they've had so many girls this generation.'_

McLaggen, Tiberius Cormac, _'Please go to Ravenclaw!'_

Weasley, Louis Guillermo, _'Yippee its number 307.'_

Nott, Cantankerous Theodore II, _'Please by like your mother.'_

Nott, Ignatius Ulysses, _'I'd forgotten they'd had twins.'_

Finnegan, Padraig Seamus, 'Ha, that's three in a row I hope are like their mothers.'

Potter, James Sirius II, _'Potter just had to choose those two names didn't he?'_

Black, Alphard Charlus, "What?!"

The last thought wasn't quite as silent as the others and in fact came out rather loudly. This needed to be brought up tomorrow but first she really did want to start on that book, it clearly wouldn't right itself. Despite her attempts to buckle down and explain Sotomayer's theorem in an easier to understand way she couldn't forget the name. Not even computing the Liapunov numbers for various materials allowed to put it off so when she finally when to bed it was rather difficult to shut her mind down enough to actually get to sleep as it was still whirring around trying to figure out how that name appeared on the Hogwarts student registry.

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_31 July TA 2998 Wizengamot Chambers, Hogwarts_

Minerva had arrived early as she was rather anxious to determine what that name meant, she knew no one had given birth more recently then Ginerva Potter and the only person using the name Black was Andromeda who wouldn't be passing it on.

Before they got to anything that new that a member had, like last night's discovery, the eleven of them had to get through the scheduled minutia. The only interesting things in the dozen points were that Scamander's had returned again and had found native Re'em to the far east of Hogwarts in Rhun, the locals apparently called them Kine of Araw, and that it seemed that Fawley's work on the internal Floo System at Hogwarts had finally been expanded to include grate from some of the home in Hogsmead which should allow an expansion to those like the Notts and Malfoys that wanted to settle further east of the castle.

Finally Minerva stood to share her discovery. Clearing her throat she explained the situation. "Last night I was going through things in my office and looked at the registry of future students. As you are all no doubt aware the registry of students is self updating and puts the child's name down at birth. I have found all of those names you'd expect in there from the children born these last few years. What surprised me was the last name on the list."

"James?" asked Harry in confusion, "What's wrong with his name, Minerva?"

"That was the issue your son wasn't the last name in the list," She answered.

Before she could get any further in explanation she was interrupt by a harsh laugh from Theodore Nott. "So what?" he said rather rudely, "So Potter son is a squib why should we care about it?"

That set of a number of protestations that probably would have gone down quicker if the Chief Witch hadn't been one of the most vocal. It happened that it was Minerva that ended giving everyone the glare that had made her students tremble for decades now. Once it was quite again she continued explaining. "Now, then, no, James Potter's name was on the list, and is not, Mr. Nott, a squib. And Harry there is nothing wrong with your son's name, though I do wish you hadn't given the boy both those names he'll be enough a rascal already. In any event his was not the final name on the list but one Alphard Charlus Black."

Her statement was met by confusion from the majority of the room but three of them recognized those names. Andromeda and Malfoy had both been raised in high class pureblood homes of the Black family and thus recognized names from the family tree. Similarly Andromeda had been going through with Harry what she knew of his family including her Great Uncle Charlus Potter, Harry's grandfather.

"There are no muggleborn in this world," Stated Flitwick, "How is this possible?" Everyone present knew that Andromeda was the only one to still carry the name Black, though a few knew Harry could as Sirius' heir, and obviously she had not had a child.

"Do you remember what Gandalf said when we asked about his kind of wizards? He and Eomund both said there were only a handful of them and Gandalf said they weren't born magical humans like we are," said Harry in confusion. "Is it possible that someone from are world has already come here?" He desperately wanted to believe that Sirius was here too but it wasn't possible he had seen the man fall into the veil of death.

"It seems... well the name looks..." Andromeda started falteringly before clearing her throat and continuing more clearly, "By the name listed it seems like the child could be that of my cousin Sirius Black, who you should all be happy to know was innocent."

"My godfather was never a Death Eater and he didn't murder anybody!" said Harry rather loudly over the murmurs and shifting that had started off when Andromeda had named her rather infamous cousin. "He just tried to...twice." Harry mumbled thinking about it after he'd started and seeing how that really wouldn't help the situation.

"Thank you for that Mr. Potter," said Minerva rather bitingly. "I feel that we must investigate, madam, especially given who it is you feel this points toward."

"Well we know it wasn't anyone in the castle or Hogsmead that had a child, we'd have seen them by now," said Pomona curiously. "So how can we find this child or its parents if we have the whole world to search? The maps I've seen are limited at best."

Draco ran his hand through his hair and sighed, "She right of course. The majority of Father's sales are in done in Rohan and even that is very badly mapped out despite the fact that it's just one kingdom."

"Can't you use the _Point Me_ spell to get a direction and then just I don't fly a broom or something?" asked Sullivan Fawley.

"Umm, no," Filius looked at him, the small man's brow wrinkled in confusion, "Wherever did you get the idea the spell worked that way? I helped Miss Granger develop the spell in, oh it was spring of 1995 with the tournament, but all it does is point the wand to the North not any person or object." He might not have been able to assist Mr. Potter directly but there was no rule against him helping the boy's friends so they could help him.

The whole time this conversation was going on Harry head had slumped down into his hands and he was all but ignoring them as they continued to brainstorm various idea to find the child in the registry and, if he was indeed the father, Sirius. Harry's elbows were starting to get sore from being pressed into the table but it was little more that a mild distraction to him, Sirius might be alive. He might not have killed him after all.

But then a thought came to him and his hope failed his shoulder's slumping back down from where he'd raised them up to in his fleeting hope. When he had walked into the forest he'd called Sirius, he'd talked to the shade. His godfather was dead there was no two ways about it he been there and watched it; he'd caused it.

"Potter?" Draco called out curiously.

Draco's call finally cut through Harry's brooding enough that the dark haired man looked up and acknowledged them, easily ignoring the fact they'd been trying to get his attention for a little while now and that everyone was looking at him as if anticipating an answer to some question. "I've told you before Draco, please use my given name; It's Harry in case you've forgotten."

The blond rolled his eyes and asked again, "We were wondering if you were going to volunteer to go. You seem to be the go to guy for anything dangerous or foolhardy that needs to be done, especially if it's both, damn Gryffindor." He snuck in the insult at the end but his tone let through his teasing even if he kept a perfectly straight face, looking for all world as if he meant it.

Surprise coloured the words than anything else when Harry responded, "Volunteer to go where? I thought we needed to find the kid first?"

Neville laughed over the groans from around the room, "You didn't listen to any of the discussion did you, Harry. We're going to send a school owl and someone need to follow it to speak with the parents."

"Oh, then yeah I suppose I can do that," he said. Internally he was wondering how well that would work with Ginny. Teddy could stay with Andromeda and he was sure that Molly would love to come help put or have her at the Burrow, but still James was only just six months old now and his place was with his family.

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_2 August TA 2998 Quidditch Pitch, Hogwarts_

The Wizengamot had at Horace's insistence appropriated the brooms for the Slytherin Quidditch team. The seven _Nimbus 2001s_ had been sitting in the broom closet going unused as there were currently no house teams, just the scrimmage games that were scared up between the efforts of Victor, Ron, and both Woods, Oliver and Alicia. Obviously, Harry wasn't going to turn down there use as otherwise he'd be on one of the rather rickety brooms for first years which hadn't been replace in a century.

He'd actually managed to make sure there were spares this time so there were only four of them mounted up with supplies and in the three of their bags were an extra Nimbus each in case the parents of the child were coming back plus one more just in case; spares were never a bad idea to have along on a trip, unless the first one was already a bad idea, of course. Harry himself was rather lightly supplied as he was on owl duty; his job was to catch the owl they were to follow if for some reason they needed to stop. Ron meanwhile carried the tent and Rolf and Luna made up the quartet.

The final two might not have been as good with a broom, or a wand for that matter, as some others that would have gone but they were the best travelled of anyone in Hogsmead. They'd consistently head of in any direction to find some new animal or document ones that were known in their natural habitat, sometimes bringing back a specimen, like the recent Re'em, other times being completely disbelieved, apparently the trees in the Forbidden Forest had talked to Luna, though not even Rolf had seen that one.

The four had said their goodbyes and were ready now to head out. Cho McLaggen had taken to breeding the owls left in the Owlery, both school owls and those that had belonged to students, and had selected what she thought was the strongest flyer. The Great Grey Owl was a large bird that might not be the fastest of flyers but was big enough to keep going through out the flight. Part of the day before had been spent introducing Tito to Harry so that when the wizard went for a stop the owl wouldn't try to attack him, or at least that was the plan. If the Harry's team ended up losing it, however it wasn't anything to stress about as the only thing the Parchment bore on it was the name addressed on one side and on the other a simple line of "Greetings from Hogwarts." It was thought that it gave away nothing, if the parents didn't know, but everything, or enough at least, if they were from the old world and they could always try again rather easily.

"Alright everybody let's get in the air," he called hovering a few feet off the ground, "Cho will let him off as soon as were up and ready to follow." When the four of the them flying at about the same height from which Harry would usually fly to look for the snitch he saw Cho throw her arm out sending Tito up to deliver the simple letter so he could be followed and thus track this Alphard Black. It wasn't until the bird flew in an extremely northerly direction and thus head right toward that blasted elf-ridden forest. 'Merlin help us if we're headed back there, but if those dirty elves have him I'll burn the forest' he thought before immediately getting angry with himself. 'Sirius is dead they can't have him, we're going for some baby, that's all.'

* * *

AN: So I obviously didn't die and I swear I didn't abandon the story I've just been rather caught up in things I'm sorry. Now as for the guesses I asked for in the last chapter's notes I only got any from Suna Chunin and clearly you were half right in the first guess with the Skin-changers however I just couldn't let Sirius stay dead he's one of my favourite characters in the HP series even though really he's hardly in it.

Please, please, please click that review button below if you guys do it enough hopefully this next chapter won't take a month to get up. I mean really those things are great encouragement and last couple convinced me to ignore my thesis to finish this out and post it, well them and spring break. That break I hope means I can write another before its over so fingers crossed everyone.

AN2: On Harry defending the Malfoys, I firmly believed that Narcissa deserved his defense for lying to Voldemort for him. We never hear of her committing any crime(s) beyond being a bigot which isn't actually illegal. Draco could probably go either way; he was a right prick in school and did unleash DEs on Hogwarts, but that was clearly under duress and something he didn't want to do. Lucius was the hard one to get around. He's an awful person that deserves to die but I needed him around fro the plot later, sorry. So anyway thats why there here, hope this explains it a little better for those of you wondering.


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